


Something Just Like This [Sugawara Koushi x Reader]

by SilverStudios5140



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Awkward Flirting, Daichi's dad jokes, Dorks in Love, F/M, Getting Together, Hinata Shouyou is Sunshine, Humor, Karasuno Family, Male-Female Friendship, Nishinoya Yuu is a Little Shit, Platonic Soulmates, Reader is a drama kid, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, cooking together, high school romance, mentioned into the woods, no betas we die like men, unedited
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-29
Updated: 2020-03-29
Packaged: 2021-03-01 05:27:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 26,549
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23379829
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilverStudios5140/pseuds/SilverStudios5140
Summary: 'I'm not looking for somebody with some superhuman gifts.Some superhero. Some fairytale bliss.Just something I can turn to.Somebody I can kiss.I want something just like this.'ORin which Suga falls for a theater kid and finds a fairytale of his own.
Relationships: Azumane Asahi & Sawamura Daichi & Sugawara Koushi, Hinata Shouyou & Reader, Sugawara Koushi/Reader
Comments: 31
Kudos: 204





	1. Chapter 1

The drama club at Karasuno high school was more or less what the students had come to call 'a dormant club'. There wasn't much activity usually, and the club members tended to also branch out and join other clubs to pass the time.

That is, until fall came along and brought with it the time for the annual school festival. The month leading up to the November school festival was the only time which saw the drama club coming to life. All its members found themselves in a frenzy of pre-production chaos as they tried to put together a memorable show that would wow their audience, and also top the previous year's performance.

As September rolled around and school started up again following the summer vacations, (Y/n) (L/n)- that year's play director- vowed to herself that she would make this year's play the best Karasuno had seen in a while. She was a talented teenager with an eye for detail and a penchant for perfection, and a bright future ahead of her in the film industry.

And with that determination in mind, she threw herself into holding auditions, casting, overseeing rehearsals and the making of the sets. It was a difficult job that was unbelievably stressful, but she had always thrived in the madness of the stage and this was no different. At that point, she almost enjoyed the rush of blood and constant nervous energy that came with being in charge of putting the production together.

Silently, she was grateful for all the time she spent alternating between the music and art club because combining the scattered knowledge from both let her find her footing in the role of a director, and the club members found it easy to respect her authority. They argued that their seniors from the previous year must've had a good reason for choosing her to orchestrate the year's play, and (Y/n) proved herself capable with every chance she got.

She liked doing the work (despite her generally lazy disposition with everything else) and she got it done, too.

And so, the girl found herself struggling with a long braid of fake golden hair piled in her arms.

"Man, I so understand why the witch cut all this hair off Rapunzel," she grumbled to herself, hefting the heavy extensions in her arms. "This is ridiculous."

The tail of the braid fell off the top of the pile, proceeding to dangle by her feet and prompting her to curse softly when it almost made her trip. Students littering the halls made way for her as she passed, only a few sending her strange looks as most wrote it off as the weirdness of the theater kids. This was probably considered a regular September occurrence at Karasuno.

And then the universe decided to take its anger out on (Y/n), and the stupid braid did make her trip by getting caught under her shoe. She could only let out an almost inhuman yelp at the sudden tilt in her equilibrium and the short but terrifying blur of her surroundings as she went careening downwards.

She never hit the ground though, because someone actually managed to catch her arm and hold her up.

"Are you alright?" the concern was evident in her savior's familiar voice as they hauled her to an upright position.

Grunting with effort to regain her footing, the seventeen-year-old girl managed to respond with a 'Yeah' despite a little struggle. Looking around the pile of fake hair to thank her schoolmate, she blinked at having come to face with kind brown eyes and a head of gray hair.

"Oh, hi, Sugawara-kun," she ended up saying instead, valiantly fighting off a rush of embarrassment. "Thanks for saving my face from meeting the ground."

He shook his head, waving her off. "It was no problem," he assured. "I kind of did that without thinking."

Eyes widening, she shot him an impressed look. "I mean, I knew that you're on the volleyball team, but those are some crazy reflexes."

Sugawara laughed a little- a pleasant sound, she noted. It was high and light, and he managed to look sheepish as he rubbed at the back of his head absentmindedly. Then his eyes fell on the fake hair cradled in her arms and proceed to widen by a fraction. It made her wonder how he hadn't noticed till now. "Do you need some help with that?" he asked hurriedly, looking like he wanted to grab it from her but was refraining for the sake of seeming polite.

She considered refusing the offer, but the aching in her arms told her to agree. So, she nodded and jutted her chin at the end of the braid, still dangling by her ankles.

Wordlessly picking it up, Sugawara smiled at her as if to tell her to take the lead. "Is this year's play going to be Rapunzel then?" he asked conversationally.

The girl kept from looking at him with admiration for not being weird about carrying a pile of faux hair. "Not exactly," she responded. After all, the Drama club wasn't in the practice of revealing their plays before they absolutely had to.

"Why else would you need all this hair?" he asked puzzled.

"Well, Rapunzel will be there, but we aren't putting up her story alone," she admitted, careful with her words. "I wanted to do something different to the usual fairytale plays for this year."

Sugawara tilted his head, looking at her briefly as she led the way to their school auditorium. "You're in charge of the play this hear, right, (L/n)?"

She hummed in confirmation, a proud little smile flitting across her face for a moment at the reminder. "Last year's graduates voted on my doing it this year," she explained, tossing him a careless smile that he returned with a short nod.

"That's cool," he inclined his head. "Is it a difficult job?"

"Oh, definitely," (Y/n) laughed. "It's all a pile of chaos and stress, and more often than not, involves a lot of yelling."

Sugawara chuckled slightly, looking ahead with a small smile. "I can relate to that," he admitted.

"Volleyball club's shenanigans?" she grinned. "I heard you guys knocked off the vice principal's wig once."

Wincing at the memory, he nodded grimly. "Some of our first and second years are...particularly energetic," he confided, leaning closer to her, enough for their shoulders to brush. "They are the main mood makers even during our matches though, so it's all worth the trouble they cause. It's always entertaining with them around, to say the least."

"I know a few of them," she said. "I've helped Nishinoya-kun out with his homework a couple of times. Plus the fact that Shouyou's a childhood friend thanks to our mothers having gone to the same college."

Apparently, this information was news to Sugawara because he shot her a surprised look. "I did not know that," he voiced what she had already guessed. "Neither have ever really mentioned that."

In response, she shrugged, hefting the braid in her arms as the auditorium entered her field of vision. "I mean, it isn't exactly something you'd mention in the middle of practice, is it? You guys seem way too dedicated to your sport for that."

The lightest hue of pink rose to his pale cheeks, an uncertain laugh slipping past his lips earning a look of amusement from her. "I guess so," he agreed quietly. "We've definitely improved by leaps and bounds this year, and I think everyone's been working extra hard. Our school used to be a powerhouse, you know. We're all trying to restore that reputation."

Pausing in front of the doors to the auditorium, she extended her arms, earning an inquisitive look from him. "I can't let you in," she explained with her eyes narrowed playfully. "If you'd deposit the hair, please."

Neither of them commented on how strange the sentence really was while Sugawara did as asked, stepping away with his signature kind smile. "Umm, good luck with your play," he nodded towards the closed doors a little awkwardly.

"Thanks," she bit the inside of her cheek. "Good luck with your club."

He beamed and nodded before turning away, a hand raising in a goodbye that she couldn't reciprocate.

Instead, she grinned at him and called out a thanks. Choosing not to linger over how adorable his smile made him, she kicked open the doors to enter the auditorium.

With a little more struggling, the seventeen-year-old managed to reach the stage and dump the hair onto the wooden floor. A student came by to lug the hair to where it needed to be, and she took the chance to examine the set. It was incomplete as of now, but she expected it would look wonderful once they finished.

"What took so long?" a whine called for her attention, and she turned to see Hitachi Ayumi dragging a cart across the room balancing some more fake trees on it.

Hurrying to help her, (Y/n) smiled at her friend apologetically. "I almost broke my face thanks to Rapunzel's hair," she explained around a grunt from the effort. "Sugawara-kun actually had to help me carry that thing all the way here."

"Sugawara Koushi from class 4?" Ayumi blinked. "He's pretty," she added when (Y/n) hummed in confirmation.

Snorting, (Y/n) agreed with a nod. "He is. He's also rather nice," she informed.

Ayumi tilted her head as best as she could while they lifted the cart over the few steps leading to the east wing of the stage. "You're in the same class," she stated. "Haven't you talked before?"

It took (Y/n) a moment to respond given how wired she was from the impromptu weight lifting session. "We have," she replied at last. "But it's never been for long. We're friendly, but not actually friends, you know?"

"That went right over my head," Ayumi informed, her stare blank and unwavering.

Rolling her eyes, (Y/n) shook her head. "My point is," she accentuated, "that I don't really know him."

"He seems like the kind of person you'd be friends with, no?" her friend remarked. "Nice, inviting, and whatnot."

Pausing thoughtfully, she nodded after a moment of consideration. "I guess," she conceded. "But enough about that-- we have a play to put together."

Ayumi groaned at the reminder but trudged away to gather the actors while (Y/n) headed off to see the pianist. After all, there was tons of work to be done. Nice gray-haired boys with pretty smiles and kind eyes ought to be the furthest things from her mind.


	2. Chapter 2

Sharply exhaling, (Y/n) eyeballed a particularly aggravating question on the Chemistry worksheet given to the class by their teacher. She could feel her brain go into zombie mode from stressing it too much.

Now, most of the time, she was a good student who got through the college prep classes with a decent level of ease. She wasn't a genius, but she was no slouch either. Studying most certainly wasn't her favorite thing in the world, but she did it for the sake of not disappointing her parents, who she knew wouldn't pressure her but found it easier to relax knowing her grades were good enough if film-making were to not work out.

And she was quite good at most of the subjects. Even Maths was something that came to her without too much struggle if she put her mind to it and practiced regularly.

The only trouble came with Chemistry. For the life of her, she couldn't ever understand the difficult concepts without going over the text at least four times. More often than not, she resolved to coercing her father into explaining it to her.

And her least favorite in the damned subject were structural isomers and stereoisomers-- coincidentally also the basis of the question she was currently staring at with a burning hatred stemming from deep within her soul.

Chemical equations could be memorized. With some effort, she could grasp the concepts as well (for a brief shining moment at least). But how the hell did one manage to learn all the structures of some stupid carbon based molecule?

Realizing that someone was tapping her shoulder, she looked away from the question (sent up from hell, she was sure) and to whoever was calling for her attention.

Sugawara smiled empathetically at her, presumably having noticed the murderous glare she was directing at the paper. "Would you like some help?" he asked carefully, probably to not offend her. Most people in the advanced classes tended to be touchy about needing help even if they'd be willing to give it.

And sure, she didn't like feeling like some stupid damsel in distress, but she knew that she wouldn't get anywhere with that question soon. Certainly not when it was the last class of the day and her brain had overheated. So, she nodded grudgingly and scooted her chair to the side a little to make room for Sugawara, who brought over his own chair from his seat to her right.

"Chemistry isn't my best subject," she justified awkwardly, waving her hand a little bit to illustrate. Her gaze wandered around the room to take in the other students. Some of them had finished (the lucky bastards), and others were struggling like her.

He looked at her with some confusion, tilting his head. "But you usually do well in our exams?"

A forced laugh, dripping with sarcasm was her response. "I cram like no tomorrow the night before and hope for the best," she revealed. "The reality is that fate was cruel and didn't reward me with more than a basic understanding of the subject. The thing is: this stuff most definitely is not basic."

"Well, no," his lips twitched upwards in a smile that he looked like he was trying to smother, "it isn't, but maybe I can help?"

"Be my guest," (Y/n) handed him her pencil and leaned back in her chair, feeling a little bit skeptical.

As it turned out, however, Sugawara did manage to help. At least a little bit. She got that one question after struggling a little for the next ten minutes, and then managed to finish the worksheet with fifteen minutes to spare.

Dropping the pencil with a sense of achievement filling her, she leaned into her chair, throwing her head back. "Thank goodness that's over," she breathed in relief.

When she heard Sugawara chuckle, she looked at him with a small, embarrassed smile, having forgotten that she wasn't sitting alone.

"You're pretty fast once the concept's down," he observed, sounding impressed of sorts.

(Y/n) shrugged, cracking her knuckles to relieve the tension in her joints. "I guess," she allowed. "And usually, I'm good at grasping concepts, but this Chemistry stuff flies right over my head. It's not my thing."

He nodded, resting his head against his fist, placing his elbow on her table. "I don't mind it all that much," he remarked thoughtfully. "Physics is more problematic for me."

"And strangely enough, I happen to enjoy Physics," she grinned, her eyebrows rising at the irony.

Returning the grin, he laughed lightly. "We should help each other out then," he suggested. "Studying together is a lot more helpful, too. I mean, at least from my experience. Of course, you don't have to- I was just thinking out loud."

Her lips twitched at his awkward rambling towards the end of his suggestion, and she shut her notebook as the bell rang to signal the end of the day. "That actually sounds like a great idea," she assured, tossing her stationary back into her pencil pouch, and packing her things away. Rising to her feet, she looked back at him with a friendly smile. "We should work out the details and actually make it happen."

"Yeah," he blinked, looking a little dazed. "We should. Absolutely."

Inclining her head, she mentally shrugged off her confusion at his state of seeming disbelief, and gathered her belongings up in her arms. "Alright," she said. "See you tomorrow, Sugawara-kun."

He rose to his feet as well, rubbing at the back of his head. "You can call me Suga," he offered uncertainly. "Only if you want to, that is. All my friends do."

Tactfully not questioning her status as 'friend', she nodded, her lips pulled up into a small smile unknowingly. "I'll see you around, Suga."

Face lighting up at the sound of his nickname, he nodded in agreement, raising his hand in a wave as he watched her leave the classroom along with other students.

"Well done." A hand clapped down onto his shoulder, snapping him out of whatever reverie he'd fallen into.

Suga turned to Daichi, cheeks flushing with the lightest of pinks. "Shut up," he muttered, only prompting a smug grin from his friend.

"(L/n), huh?" Daichi remarked, standing patiently while Suga gathered his things. "Didn't you have a crush on her in first year?"

At the reminder, Suga tossed him a pained look. "Could you not?" He made a face. "There's no need to bring up such dark history."

Snorting in plain amusement, Daichi looked like he very much didn't want to let it go, but relented all the same. "She's in the drama club, right?" The question was more of a statement since they were all in the same class after all.

Nevertheless, Suga was grateful for the minor change in topic. "Yeah," he confirmed. "I think they're doing something related to Rapunzel this year, but she said it was going to be a little different, or something."

"Oh, so you've talked before," Daichi noted with casual malice glinting in his dark eyes. The captain was sure he'd receive payback later on, but he couldn't pass up the chance to tease Suga. Not when it was usually the other way around. "No wonder, because it looked like the two of you really had Chemistry."

Shooting a withering glare at his best friend as the two of them traced the familiar path to the club room, Suga punched Daichi in the arm with a little more force than usual. "We literally talked about nothing but academics today, so will you give it a rest?"

Daichi laughed, ignoring the pain. "Alright, I'm done," he promised, raising his arms in surrender.

A sigh of relief escaped Koushi as he steered their conversation onto other (safer) topics.

If Daichi noticed the slight smile that crossed his friend's face when they passed the auditorium and heard the familiar female voice giving out instructions, he didn't comment on it.

He only smiled knowingly at Suga and carried on forward, knowing that he'd have something entertaining to look forward to if those two kept talking.


	3. Chapter 3

It had been the summer of their first year when Koushi had properly noticed (L/n) (Y/n) for the first time.

Their summer break had already begun and usually that meant free time once their holiday homework had been done. But for most sports clubs, it only meant extra practice wherever they could squeeze it in.

The Karasuno volleyball club hadn't been doing anything of the sorts; the seniors having claimed the need to study. So, the first year trio had taken it upon themselves to meet up for their own practice, deciding to meet in the local gym during the evenings.

It had been after one such meeting when he was trudging back home after parting ways with his friends. He was passing the neighborhood playground and happened to hear loud chattering as he did.

Looking over in curiosity, he had found himself halting by the gate to watch the girl he knew to be his classmate as she let a bunch of neighborhood kids tackle her to the grass in a passionate rendition of Peter Pan's story. He didn't think many girls would be so enthusiastic about playing Captain Hook.

It had been an amusing sight to say the least- one that definitely peaked his interest in the girl whose name he thought to be (L/n) (Y/n). He didn't recall her particularly from school, but now, he thought he ought to. She seemed pretty easygoing and fun- the kind of person he'd like to get to know.

Following that incident, it seemed as though Koushi had become hyper-aware of her presence. Suddenly, she was around more often than he thought she'd been before. He had found himself noticing her and the little things she did a lot more. It hadn't taken long for his curiosity to blossom into a bit of a crush.

He wasn't sure how Daichi had figured it out because he didn't recall any direct conversation with (Y/n). Whatever the case, Koushi had been mortified when his dark-haired classmate had brought it up one day out of the blue.

Thankfully, Asahi (who'd been witness to the whole ordeal thanks to it having taken place during their extra practice) had refrained from teasing Koushi over it.

Whether it was out of fear or general consideration, Koushi had been grateful. At least one if his friends was having mercy on him in his moment of vulnerability.

The crush had died down by the time their second year came around, but Koushi had never stopped being aware of the girl as he'd expected to be. His mind always managed to register her presence and actions whenever she was nearby. As creepy as that sounded.

It wasn't a crush, he argued. He'd always found her a rather interesting person- someone he'd like to befriend. And given that they were in their third year now, he figured he ought to get to it before they parted ways after graduation.

Hopefully, it would ease the sudden brain activity that always seemed to take place whenever they interacted.


	4. Chapter 4

(Y/n) sighed to herself as she walked down the halls and crossed over to the gymnasium she knew the volleyball club practiced in. She hadn't ever actually been there though, and it had occurred to her that she may have just been going the wrong way.

Luckily for her, the yells and squeaking of shoes confirmed that she'd managed to find the right place. She jogged towards the doors, sliding them open by a crack.

Poking her head in, she slid the door open enough to slip in once her gaze landed on the teacher in the green jacket.

It took a few moments for the occupants of the gym to register her presence, during which she crossed to the other side and approached Takeda-sensei.

"Excuse me, sensei, but Miya-sensei was asking about some sort of student list?" she stated, unsure of how to phrase what she wanted to say.

Takeda blinked, lost until recognition filled his eyes and he jumped. "Oh, yes! Of course," he fumbled, pushing up his glasses and already beginning to leave once he'd mumbled an 'excuse me'. Pausing, he turned back to her. "Should I just give it to you?"

(Y/n) nodded. "That would be fine."

The confirmation given, the man hurried out of the gym with purpose in every step he took.

Now, suddenly aware of the stares pinning her figure, she turned to face the few members who were still watching her curiously. She was grateful for those who returned to their practice because she definitely did not need to feel like a zoo animal.

"(Y/n)-san!" an energetic voice called out to her. She couldn't help the grin that made its way onto her face as Nishinoya waved enthusiastically at her.

Returning the wave, she shifted her weight, leaning back on the balls of her feet. "Hey, Noya-kun," the girl greeted. "Hi, Shouyou," she added with a sweet smile, referring to the orange-haired boy who was waving his arms to catch her attention, grinning widely when she waved indulgently.

She'd ended up wandering over to Kiyoko once she'd acknowledged the two males, directing a friendly smile at the pretty manager. "Hi, Shimizu," she greeted.

Receiving a polite nod in return, she turned her attention to the smaller blonde standing next to the other third year. (Y/n) took in the wide-eyed gaze and the star clips, and decided that she wanted to protect this girl with her soul.

Of course, she refrained from voicing this, settling for an approachable 'Hello' instead.

"Hello," the girl managed to return, a little star-struck, confusing the (h/c)-haired seventeen-year-old. 

It was understandable, really, (Y/n) wasn't used to being looked at like she'd hung up the stars in the sky, but the petite blonde looked to be in awe with the older female like she'd done just that.

Before (Y/n) could ask for the younger girl's name, someone else had called out to her, making her turn to him.

"(L/n)." Sawamura nodded, a gesture she returned with a bright smile. She didn't question why Suga was following his friend as they approached her, wearing the most startled look she'd seen all week. "What are you doing here?"

Waving her hand, she blew a bit of hair away from her eyes. "Running an errand," she explained. "Miya-sensei kind of kidnapped me and pretty much gave me no choice."

The dark-haired captain nodded sympathetically. "She tends to do that," he shrugged. "She once sent Suga to hunt for some sort of paper all around the school. Later we found out that she'd been carrying it in her file the whole time."

"I remember that!" (Y/n) grinned, eyes brightening in recognition of the memory. "That happened last year, right?"

Looking surprised that she'd remembered that, Suga nodded dumbly. "Yeah, it did," he confirmed. "I'm surprised you remember."

The girl in question chuckled. "Are you kidding? Of course I remember that burst of outrage you'd had as soon as she left the class. It was hilarious."

Suga colored a light pink, coughing in embarrassment. He almost didn't notice Daichi slowly inching away and returning to the team, and Shimizu leading Yachi away to stand closer to the wall. "Yeah, well, that wasn't one of my best moments," he said weakly.

"Completely understandable." She held her hands up. "If I was ever caught in that situation, I'd be cursing left and right. You took it pretty well in comparison."

He snorted, but relaxed nonetheless, beginning to return her smile. "So, uh, I was wondering when you wanted to meet up?" he brought up, feeling decidedly proud of himself for managing to bring that up.

Thinking for a moment, (Y/n) chewed on her bottom lip while Suga took note of how often she tended to do that when she was thinking.

"When does your practice usually let out?" she asked, glancing at the black wristwatch wrapped around her wrist.

He breathed out slowly. "Pretty late on most days. Around six or seven?"

"We tend to rehearse for that long as well." She nodded. "Is tomorrow okay for you? 6:30?"

Mentally recalling the practice schedule he'd drawn up with Daichi, he nodded. "Yeah, I can make it," he agreed.

"Great!" She smiled brightly. "I have about a three hour window till when my parents expect me back home, so we'll have to wrap up within two and a half hours. It's a start, though."

Grinning at the implication that she may want to meet up more often, Suga opened his mouth to continue the conversation. He was interrupted by the gymnasium doors being slid open, revealing Takeda-sensei clutching sheets of paper like his life depended on them.

(Y/n) sighed, making Suga glance at her because she sounded almost disappointed. "Right," she muttered to herself. "That's my cue. I'll see you tomorrow, Suga," she added, smiling over her shoulder as she walked away.

He nodded even though she wasn't looking, and once she'd thanked Takeda-sensei and finally left, he turned to find Tanaka and Nishinoya staring him down, almost unblinking.

"What relationship do you have with (Y/n)-san?" the libero blurted out, slinking over to peer up at his upperclassman.

Startled, Suga flinched back, blinking owlishly. "What?" he stuttered out. "I- we're just friends!"

Tanaka moved to lean over Suga's shoulder from the back, examining him skeptically. "Are you sure, Suga-san?" he prompted, chin jutting out. "Did you not secretly get yourself a pretty girlfriend and keep it a secret from your teammates?"

"No," Suga denied, his eyebrows knitting together in a scowl. "And even if I did, that is none of your business."

Deciding to take pity on his friend, Daichi clapped his hands for their attention. "That's enough," he called. "Get back to practice, you lot."

The second year duo pouted at being admonished, but scurried away to avoid aggravating the captain and possibly suffering his wrath. Watching them return to their places, Suga heaved a sigh of relief, following behind at a slower pace.

His teammates only shot him amused glances, but refrained from saying anything, and soon enough, the whole ordeal was forgotten. They were lucky that Coach Ukai hadn't yelled at them for their distraction, and none of them fancied provoking him now.

It was only after practice when they were walking home that it was brought up again.

"You seem to have become the talk of the team," Daichi commented, lips twitching up into a smile.

Suga made a noise of annoyance, tossing his head back dramatically. "You're enjoying this way too much," he grumbled. "It really isn't a big deal."

Humming in agreement, Daichi turned his face skywards. "True," he inclined his head, "but you know that they tend to blow everything out of proportions when a girl is involved."

"You say 'they' like you aren't giving me any grief over it," the gray-haired boy glared pointedly.

A laugh escaped Daichi who waved his hand dismissively. "I enjoy teasing you when the opportunity seldom shows itself. I don't mean anything by it."

Although he was unconvinced, Suga relented, turning back to face forwards as the sky darkened overhead. "Just you wait till I next see you with Michimiya, Sawamura Daichi," he muttered darkly.

Daichi's eyes widened. "What's that supposed to mean?" he reared back. When he received no response other than a shrug and a smug smile, the dark-haired boy sighed. "Noya and (L/n) are friends, right?" he brought up instead.

"I guess so," Suga replied, letting Daichi off the hook with no more than a smirk in his direction. "Apparently she helps him out with his studies sometimes."

Eyebrows rising, Daichi's mouth set in a hard line, disbelief coloring his face. "I doubt Nishinoya asked for help. I don't think he realizes that his grades aren't the best. It begs the question of how that arrangement ever came about."

Humming in thoughtful agreement, Koushi nodded slowly. "I suppose that will remain unsolved for now," he commented. "Maybe we'll hear that story one day."

"Maybe," Daichi inclined his head. "I'll see you tomorrow, Suga," he added, heading in the direction of his house with a wave in goodbye.

Koushi returned the gesture, turning to head down the path leading to his own house, sighing as his shoulders slumped. Club activities had been particularly tiring today. Some of that was also because of how riled up he'd been the whole time, the sense of being flustered always lingering at the back of his mind.

Either way, he was pretty much exhausted. The idea of having to study once he got home sounded nowhere near appealing to him. Unfortunately, slacking off was out of the question unless he wanted to ended up falling behind. Third year wasn't easy, and certainly not for the kids in college prep classes since their workload tended to be more grueling.

He had homework to finish and tests to prepare for, and frankly, he wanted to go to sleep.

Still, he shook his head to dispel the demotivating thoughts, knowing that they would do him no good. If he let the stress get to him, his performance in everything that he cared about would go down. That would only lead to a whole new wave of negativity, thereby starting a cycle he could very much do without.

 _Look on the bright side_ , he told himself.

He had plans with a certain drama club member to look forward to for the next day. For now, he would think of that and try to keep his head above the waters that some seniors often succumbed to.

_You're fine._


	5. Chapter 5

Koushi decided that standing in front of the auditorium doors was probably the most stressful thing he'd done all day.

Breathing in and holding onto his currently nonexistent courage, he raised a hand to knock right as the doors swung open.

"Oh." (Y/n) blinked up at him, falling short. "Suga. I was just coming to see you right now."

He shook his head, smiling reassuringly. "That's alright. Practice let out early for the day anyways," he waved his hand, soft laughter laced with nervousness. "Then, shall we head off now?"

She hefted her shoulder bag, returning his smile with a bright one of her own. "Absolutely. Do you have anywhere in mind?"

Contemplating as he bit his lip, he shook his head. "Not really," he answered. "And I guess the library is already closed by now."

Humming in acknowledgment, she scrunched up her nose, looking to be running through a mental list of plausible destinations. Koushi prayed that their study date wasn't already headed for a disaster.

All of a sudden, she snapped her fingers, eyes lighting up. "Have you ever been to _Procaffeination_? That cafe a couple of blocks away from here?" she questioned.

"Is it the one across the street from Hideyoshi Park?" he furrowed his eyebrows, struggling to recall.

She nodded in confirmation, and once he'd consented to walking there, the pair was off on their way.

(Y/n) had a fast pace for walking, he noticed, feeling rather glad for his athleticism as they rounded the corner. In hindsight, he should have expected her speed since she always seemed to be rushing to get somewhere.

"You're a very busy person, huh, (L/n)?" he brought up.

Gaze flitting to him, she nodded after a moment of pondering. "I guess," she conceded, shrugging. "But then again, so are you."

He chuckled. "Yeah, but I'm not always running around. You constantly seem to be hurrying to get somewhere or the other. It's also probably why you walk so fast."

"Wait," she held up a finger. "All I'm getting from this conversation is that I'm walking too fast and ought to slow down." He laughed as she shot him an apologetic grin, the both of them adjusting their paces to a slower speed, as they fell into step. "Also, it's because I like being busy. Not academically, unfortunately, but in that I like participating in a bunch of extra-curriculars."

"Really?" His eyebrows rose in interest.

She scoffed, waving a hand in a careless fashion. "Nothing sporty, of course. I know my limits, and as fate would have it, I happen to be athletically challenged," (Y/n) informed. "I do participate in the plays, festivals, and debates I manage to get selected for."

Amazed, he whistled lowly. "That's a lot on your plate, (L/n)," Koushi noted. "I admire you for not having broken down yet."

Tucking a stray bit of (h/c) hair behind her ear from where it escaped her neat hairdo, she tilted her head. "I mean, I avoid pretty much everything whenever our exams are approaching. Plus, I'm a little too used to doing my schoolwork last minute anyways, so it's not that bad," she replied. "You can just call me (Y/n), by the way. Hearing my last name all the time feels a little weird if I'm being honest."

While his brain processed her offer, he blinked blankly. "Why?" he blurted out.

"Why, what?"

"Why does it feel weird?" he elaborated, bashful as he did so.

Eyebrows rising in understanding, she bit her lip thoughtfully. "I don't know," the girl admitted. "Maybe it's because I grew up in the States before we moved here and it's a habit from my childhood. Or maybe it's because of how frequently my mom and I visit her sister who lives abroad, and I'm accustomed to the first name. I'm not sure."

"You grew up in America?" Suga repeated, looking at her in surprise.

(Y/n) shrugged. "Because of my dad's job- we moved there when I was really young. It's frankly not all that. I prefer Japan anyways."

"So, why'd you move back?" he questioned inquisitively. "Because of your dad?"

The girl glanced at him from the corner of her eye. It was only Koushi's trained observance that caught the guarded expression on her face right before she replaced it with a cautious smile.

Clearing her throat, she faced forwards. "Sort of, but not in the way you're thinking," she responded after a moment of thought. "My parents got a divorce and my mom got custody over me, so we moved here because she wanted to be somewhere we could get a new start. Not to mention a nice job prospect."

Guilt filled him at her statement, awkwardness creeping up his neck. "I'm sorry I asked," he ducked his head. "I didn't think-"

"It's alright," she assured with a small smile, shaking her head. "I don't mind talking about it. It all happened ages ago, and all three of us are happier as we are now. I get that it sounds super tragic and kind of like I have a broken home, but I don't. My mother is my favorite person ever, and my dad is great, too. They're still my parents- they just aren't married anymore."

He nodded in understanding. "Still," Koushi scratched at his cheek, "I didn't want to seem insensitive."

Bumping his shoulder with hers, she grinned toothily. "Don't worry about it, Suga," she told him. "It isn't insensitivity if you didn't know to begin with. Let's change the subject: tell me about your family instead."

"Ah," he scrunched up his nose in thought. "Well, I'm an only child. My mom is a surgeon and my dad works at a publication house as an editor."

A surprised look crossed her face. "I want to ask how a surgeon and an editor ended up meeting, but I feel like that might be a bit weird. Instead, I'm going to distract you by pointing out that we've reached the cafe," she rushed out, pointing at the rather urban establishment a building away from the pair.

Koushi tossed her a lopsided smile, admitting only to himself that he found her honesty cute.

Wait a minute.

Cute?

 _No way_ , he argued mentally. He was not still hung up on his stupid crush from first year. That would be stupid. He definitely did not think to himself about how cute (L/n) freaking (Y/n) was because that would mean that Daichi was right and he wasn't over the drama club member, and Koushi refused to give Daichi that kind of satisfaction of actually being right.

Absolutely not.

"Suga?" the female's voice cut in. He snapped out of his thoughts to find her already waiting by the entrance, looking at him over her shoulder with a quizzical smile. "You coming in, or what?"

Blinking away his daze, he nodded. "Yeah." He frowned. "Sorry, I just zoned out a little."

"Don't apologize," she dismissed, chuckling. "Come on."

Shoulders relaxing, he followed after her. A bell tinkled overhead to signal their arrival into the establishment. He promptly decided that he liked the place with its big cushy chairs, dim but sufficient lighting, and bookshelves lining the entirety of the back wall. There were all sorts of pictures, quotes and paintings lining the walls in an artistic but haphazard fashion. Somehow even the people sat at the tables seemed to fit in with the whole theme.

"Have you been here before?" he found himself asking, looking over to find that (Y/n) seemed to fit in perfectly as well, despite her school uniform clashing with the whole hipster/free-spirit vibe going on.

In response, she hummed to confirm the statement. "A few times," she added in elaboration. "Only ever with the club members to discuss whatever details needed working out before a show."

As if by experience, the seventeen-year-old girl led the way to a table at the back placed by the window. It was a little out of the way, but not completely isolated and lighting was good enough for them to be able to study.

"I'm gonna go get myself some coffee," she informed, placing her bag down on one of the two chairs, and leaving him to take the one opposite to the one she'd claimed. "Would you like me to get you something, Suga?"

A little startled at the question, he shook his head, watching her shrug and leave before releasing a breath.

He still hadn't gotten used to her taking his name so casually. It occurred to him that being on first-name basis with someone so soon was considered a little odd by regular standards. He decided that he rather liked it. It allowed him the delusion that he and (Y/n) were closer than they actually were. Koushi certainly didn't mind the idea of that, so he told himself to settle in with how the pair had agreed to refer to each other.

 _(Y/n)_ , he repeated to himself, his lips curving upwards at the thought.

Snapping out of his reverie, he settled on taking out his supplies instead. Laying out the notes, textbook, and stationary on the table, he sat back in satisfaction.

All this in time to take notice of the fact that the (h/c)-haired girl was returning to their table, balancing a tray in one hand and a white mug in the other.

"So, I ended up getting two slices of Oreo cheesecake and I didn't want to come off as a glutton so I got you some too." She glanced up at him with a sheepish smile.

"You really didn't have to." Koushi stared at the admittedly delicious looking desert.

She shrugged. "I know," (Y/n) stated seriously. "I didn't do it to be polite or anything. Purely selfish reasons, Suga. I'm trying to get you out of shape and fatten you up as a personal baseless vendetta against the volleyball club."

A beat of silence passed, her staring into his eyes with a deadpanned look on her face until he snorted abruptly, and a smile of satisfaction crossed her lips.

"Well, I'd hate to disappoint you," he reached for the treat while she got out her own stuff. "By the way, fattening me up won't cripple the club, just so you know. We have a genius player who's more than capable of making up for any absence in my athleticism."

Pausing in flipping through her notes, she tilted her head with a small frown. "That doesn't make you replaceable though," she pointed out. "I bet you play a pretty important role in your team that your 'genius player' can't substitute for. I mean, I know nothing about volleyball though, so this is me making assumptions."

A small smile tilted his lips upwards, a flush of pride making something in his chest feel light and fluttery. "Ah, I could teach you sometime, if you'd like." He rubbed the back of his neck, avoiding her gaze.

To her credit, (Y/n) made no mention of his flustered state, choosing to busy herself with her stationary while trying to fight off a coy smile of her own. "I wouldn't mind learning," she agreed. "My knowledge is pretty much limited to the positions and point system. Watching your match in the Inter-high wasn't too confusing though. Once, of course, you get used to how fast everything happens. It's just so insanely quick. I felt like I was going to get whiplash from trying to keep up with the ball."

The spoon almost slipped out of his hold in shock. "You were there?" Koushi asked incredulously, brown eyes blown wide open.

"I was," she confirmed, folding her arms on the table. "As was most of the school. It was pretty intense actually, but I really enjoyed it. And you guys won, which was awesome."

He blinked, sitting back slowly. "I didn't even know," Koushi said, mostly to himself. "I'm glad you had a nice time, though," he added uncertainly.

(Y/n) laughed, almost dropping her notebook in the process. "Chill out, Suga. You sound a little too tense at the thought of me watching your game."

He would later reflect on the fact that the girl had a nice laugh. It was high and clear, and she scrunched up her nose, her eyes closing.

"I suppose I'm not used to anyone from our school watching our games," he chuckled nervously. "I don't know what I'm supposed to say."

"There isn't anything you're supposed to say," she pointed out. "Shall we get started? Molecular orbital theory is kicking my butt and I could use some help."


	6. Chapter 6

The (L/n) household had always been a rather lively one despite the fact that there were only two official occupants of the relatively large apartment.

Although, that could also be attributed to a third person almost living there anyways. The third person being (Y/n)'s mother's best friend- Meher Ahmed.

Aunt Meher, as the seventeen-year-old had known the woman all her life, had been a constant and prominent figure in both the (L/n) women's lives.

For (M/n), Meher was a pillar of constant support.

For (Y/n), the woman was an unquestioning confidant and guiding figure. Also, on many occasions, the 'Vodka Aunt', but that little detail could well be ignored when Meher was feeling mature.

Because of the decades old friendship and trust between the two adult women, Meher possessed a key to the apartment, and she utilized it to the fullest. Everyday, before (Y/n) got home from school, she would be poking around the professional-grade kitchen with a strange concoction cooking. Once (M/n) returned from work, the three of them would sit down for an hour of gossiping and watching whichever show they were hooked on currently.

It was a complete home, (Y/n) decided. They were an unconventional little family of two best friends, one teenager, and the absent father who would often drop by with foreign wine and gourmet chocolate.

"I'm home," (Y/n) called out as soon as she entered the apartment.

There was muffled clang from the direction of the kitchen and then the sound of feet pounding down the hallway. A smile came to (Y/n)'s lips at the sight of Meher skidding to a halt in front of her just as she slipped off her shoes.

"Hi, honey," the woman greeted warmly, ruffling the teenager's hair with customary affection. "What took you so long today?"

Waving away Meher's hand with a practiced ease, (Y/n) traced the familiar path to the kitchen where a bowl of fruit and flavored yogurt were laid out in wait for her. "I had a study date with a friend," she answered, sitting down on one of the bar-stools placed by the island counter.

Meher took her place on the other side, picking up her abandoned spoon and a bowl of what appeared to be cake batter. "Which one? Ayumi, or was it that kid you tutor-- Noya?" the woman questioned curiously.

"You don't know this one, I guess," (Y/n) replied around a mouthful of yogurt. "Sugawara Koushi. He's in my class."

Eyebrows rising slightly, Meher nodded. "Alright." She shrugged. "He didn't bore you, did he? You tend to complain about the multiple dull guys in your class."

An impish grin made its way onto the girl's face. "No, he didn't bore me." She chuckled. "Suga's smart enough to hold an enjoyable conversation. Plus, he's really respectful and sweet."

"Oh, my." Meher gasped dramatically. "Is that a nickname I hear? Is this Suga kid cute? A potential candidate for the title of 'boyfriend' perhaps?"

(Y/n) laughed despite the heat rising up her neck, her aunt's wiggling eyebrows being the source of her amusement. "We're only just friends, Aunt Meher." She lowered her gaze in embarrassment. "But, he is really cute."

A particularly pleased look crossed Meher's face, a knowing quirk of her lips and a hum of acknowledgment that made (Y/n) want to drown in her yogurt.

"Are you harassing my daughter again, Mer?" (M/n) strolled into the living room from the hallway that led to their bedrooms, a towel laying around her shoulders and her damp hair hanging in her face. "Hello, love." the woman kissed her daughter's forehead in passing.

Meher gasped indignantly, dropping her spoon once again and crossing her arms. "I am doing no such thing," she claimed haughtily, moving aside fluidly when (M/n) crossed to her side of the island to peer down at the bowl and its contents. "(Y/n) was just telling me about her date."

"Study date," the girl corrected, sharing a look with her mother. "Aunt Meher just wants me to get a significant other so she can harass them instead."

Scoffing, Meher stuck her nose up exaggeratedly. "Can you blame me? The two of you are no fun anymore. I think a new face around the house will be good for me."

"Good for you?" (M/n) repeated, eyebrow rising. "Geez, Mer, at this rate (Y/n) will never introduce us to anyone she's in a relationship with."

Making a sound of agreement, (Y/n) swallowed the last of her snack. "Besides, with the festival coming up, I'm a little too busy preparing for the play. And Suga is usually occupied with volleyball practice because their Nationals are coming up, or something," she explained.

"So you _have_ considered the boyfriend thing," Meher concluded victoriously, pounding her fist into the palm of her hand.

(M/n) rolled her eyes. "Ignore her," she told her daughter, leaning forward in a conspiring manner. "But I do think that you could get into a relationship despite your workload if you really wanted to be with someone, so don't let that be a factor in putting you off."

"Alright, Mom," the girl agreed with a soft smile that grew when her mother reached out to affectionately pat her cheek.

"How sweet," Meher cooed, effectively ruining the moment. "But my stomach is trying to communicate, so could we get to the part where we eat something?"

(Y/n) blinked, pushing the empty bowl away from her. "I just ate," she pointed out, "so I'll eat later."

"Reika-san had me try out a few new dishes before we closed up, so I'm rather full as well," (M/n) revealed. "Why don't you heat up some leftovers from the fridge?"

Suddenly, Meher was looking a lot less smug and whole lot more panicked. "But I had those for lunch. What will I do now?"

Leaning forward, (Y/n) smirked. "Instant ramen."

"Instant ramen at the home of a renowned chef," Meher whispered to herself. "What a horrible reality."

"That's what you get for raiding for my fridge thoughtlessly." (M/n) flicked her friend's forehead unsympathetically. "Next time, horde at your own place."

Grabbing her bowl and getting off the stool, (Y/n) moved to place the item in the sink. "You have an awesome house in the countryside with a great view and a huge backyard, so why do you even spend all your time here, Aunt Mer? I mean, mom and I aren't home most of the time anyways."

"The house is too big." Meher wrinkled her nose. "It's lonely and I'm constantly scared of a serial killer dropping by and killing me, and my body not being found for a week or something."

In the time they'd been talking, (M/n) had finished pouring the batter into a baking pan and was currently popping it into the oven. "She can't get an apartment in its place because it's ancestral property and her parents would kill her if she sold it," the woman explained further. "So, her solution is crashing here for as long as she can."

"I'm still glad you moved out here instead of going to Italy to your parents," Meher hopped onto the counter, crossing her long legs comfortably.

(M/n) made a face at the mention of the alternative possibility from her past. "Please," she scoffed. "Move there and have to do everything their way because it was their kitchen? No thanks. Besides, they'd drop the 'I told you so' card every chance they'd get, and then some. I'd much rather move to Antarctica."

"We moved out here because of great-aunt Winona's offer, right?" the seventeen-year-old asked, pouring herself a glass of water.

Her mother nodded. "I always knew being nice to that old woman throughout my youth would pay off one day. She wanted me to take over her five-star restaurant, and as if that wasn't enough, left all her money and property to us when she died."

"Ah, Aunt Winnie," Meher sighed nostalgically. "I always knew she was a crazy bitch. Gotta love that little old lady. May she rest in peace."

Sipping at the water thoughtfully, (Y/n) came to a realization that had her grinning. "That's the kind of thing you'd end up doing, Aunt Mer."

(M/n) snorted loudly while Meher brightened.

"It is!" the latter cheered. "Maybe I'll leave everything I own to you. You're practically my own kid, anyways."

Eyebrow rising, (Y/n) placed her empty glass down. "That's sweet and all, Aunt Meher, but I do not want to own your house. Ever. I'm pretty sure it's haunted."

"Wait, what?" Meher's eyes widened. "My house is _what_? You can't just say that, (Y/n)! Now I'm never going to be able to sleep there ever again."

Groaning, (M/n) face-palmed. "Dear, lord. Now she's going to spend the night here as well."

"You love me." Meher grinned childishly, previous fear forgotten.

In response, (M/n) sent her a challenging look before exiting the kitchen in silence that had her best friend crying in outrage and hopping off the counter to chase after her.

(Y/n) laughed as she watched Meher wrap her mother up in an octopus hug, refusing to let go until (M/n) proclaimed her undying love for her friend.

Her attention was drawn away from the struggle by the buzzing of her phone in her skirt pocket (a personal addition, courtesy of Meher's tailoring skills). (Y/n) pulled the device out to find the screen lit up with a message displayed across the screen.

She unlocked the phone to read its contents, and a smile immediately found its way onto her face.

 _I hope you got home safely_ , it read. _I had fun today! Maybe we could do it again sometime?_

Grinning, she bit her lip in thought on how to reply.

 _I did get home safely_ , she typed out uncertainly. _I'm guessing you did as well. And I would love to do this again!_

Hitting send, she let her thumb hover anxiously over the screen.

Goodness, when did texting get so difficult? Was the exclamation mark overdoing it? She didn't want to seem overly eager. That's kind of annoying.

_Great! Goodnight, (Y/n) :)_

Sighing in relief, she responded and then slipped her phone back into her pocket, a strange airiness filling her head with fuzz.

_Goodnight, Suga :)_

* * *

Meanwhile, at the Sugawara household, one Sugawara Koushi was trying his hardest not to suffocate himself with a pillow due to his brain malfunctioning.

"Yes!" he cheered.


	7. Chapter 7

Weekends usually found (Y/n) running errands and helping out at the restaurant as much as she could.

There was never much she could do to help out at a well-known and fancy restaurant such as the one her mother owned. But (Y/n) liked to linger about the kitchen and watch the chefs do what they loved in the fast-paced madness of trying to complete orders within reasonable time limits and achieve a satisfactory level of perfection each time.

Personally, the girl had never been particularly fond of cooking. She did enjoy food and the intricacies behind it, and the natural talent at the culinary arts that tended to run in her mother's family had been passed on to her as well. However, the whole process of actually making a dish had never appealed to her much.

What she did like was helping people. Even if it did involve a little cooking.

The chopping up of things, looking after boiling or baking things, and the like. These were jobs she could do in _Hinansho_ 's kitchen whenever she decided to pay her mother a visit.

Regardless of her love for cooking, or the lack thereof, the kitchen itself was a sight to see at _Hinansho_. A team of talented chefs scrambling to get the job done tirelessly. The cacophony of utensils, mechanic dings, frantic shouts, and the hissing of steam. And the undeniable love and ambition that clung to every moment.

She loved to-- if only for a moment-- become a part of something so dedicated even if she, herself, was not.

But on some days, it got a little tiring to be stared at with curiosity or disbelief.

(Y/n) knew that it puzzled a good part of her family as to why she was so very against taking over after her mother at _Hinansho_ , or after her grandparents at their restaurant- _Haven_ , in Italy. She had the talent and backing for it. At _Hinansho_ , most people would kill to have come from circumstances like hers.

In her mind, it was clear, though. She just wasn't even half as passionate as the people she saw who were so incredible in their dedication to their art. It would be unfair to them for her to go into the job halfheartedly.

And when her real interest lay with film-making and directing, (Y/n) doubted she would ever have that kind of drive for making food.

So, as she neared her graduation, she had taken to avoiding the chefs at _Hinansho_ \-- many of whom had made it a regular practice to question her interests and try to change her mind.

She understood that it didn't make sense to them, and they never meant any harm. But when it became all too overbearing for her, (Y/n) let her mother know, and took to spending her weekends by either straightening up the apartment with Meher, or calling up the drama club for more rehearsals.

Currently, it was a stay-at-home day (a result of her fellow club members begging for release from her tyranny), and that usually meant going grocery shopping at the local supermarket a few blocks away from the apartment complex.

Meher was actually busy in what was a rare occurrence, and so, (Y/n) took her own sweet time, knowing that she really had nowhere important to be and no reason to rush.

Chances to slow down had become so rare since second year with constantly struggling to maintain her grades with extra-curriculars, and she tried her best to relish all of them.

There was a strange relaxation in strolling down the mostly empty aisles of store, leisurely examining each product before buying or rejecting, and daydreaming to the tune of whatever perky song was playing over the speakers. The brain had long since become sluggish, the repetitive motions not requiring much thinking, thereby giving her a break.

So, naturally, it wouldn't last long enough for to truly appreciate it.

Her rude awakening came in the form of nearly colliding her shopping cart with someone else's, and (Y/n)'s eyes widened drastically at the minuscule gap between the two carts, snapping to her senses.

"I'm so sorry!" she cried out, mortified, bowing at the older woman who looked to be around her mother's age.

The woman laughed pleasantly, waving her off. "No, I apologize as well. You don't have to worry about it," she assured, her soft features and rosy cheeks giving her a welcoming aura of serenity that instantly put the teenager at ease.

"I hope none of your to-be purchases are damaged?" (Y/n) fretted, discomfort creeping up her neck as the urge to run away awakened with a vengeance within her.

"Nothing is damaged," the lady confirmed patiently, amusement marking itself in her smile and the crinkles by her hazel eyes.

Nodding awkwardly, (Y/n) cleared her throat. "Alright then. I'll just be going."

Something about that woman was strangely familiar, she decided as they parted ways with uncertain smiles. Something that lingered just beyond her mind's reach, close enough to cause immense frustration.

"Is that everything, Mom?"

The voice had her freezing in her tracks, while the woman replied to who was apparently her son.

"I do believe it is, Koushi. Did you want anything in particular?"

Koushi? Sugawara Koushi?

(Y/n) whirled around with wide eyes that met Suga's over his mother's shoulder. Dumbfounded, she could only wave at the boy who looked equally as surprised at her presence.

The woman-- his mother-- turned with a raised eyebrow to catch a glimpse at whatever her son was staring at, the second eyebrow rising as well when she saw that it was the girl who almost crashed carts with her.

"You two know each other?" the woman questioned, mostly stating the obvious for all involved parties.

Suga blinked, nodding. "Yeah. She's a friend from class. The one I was studying with the other day?"

Recognition filled the woman's face as her mouth formed an 'o' in realization. "Well, I'm Koushi's mother," she addressed (Y/n) with a friendly smile. "It's lovely to meet a friend of his who isn't from that volleyball club."

"I'm (L/n) (Y/n). It's nice to meet you, too, Sugawara-san," (Y/n) returned politely, smiling at the woman, having gotten a hold of her bearings.

"Are you here alone, (L/n)-chan?" Suga's mother questioned conversationally.

Rubbing the back of her neck, (Y/n) nodded. "I usually do the grocery shopping because my mom's busy over the weekends."

A pleased smile crossed the woman's face. "Ah, so you're helping your mother out. What a wonderful daughter you are," she complimented, ignoring the slight color that rose to the teenage girl's cheeks. "Koushi is very accommodating of our schedules, too. He helps around the house as much as he can since his father and I are mostly out for our jobs."

"Mom," Suga said pointedly, eyes wide as they flitted uncertainly between (Y/n) and his mother.

"What?" the Sugawara matriarch questioned innocently, a knowing grin tugging on her lips that had her son flushing in embarrassment.

Suga seemed to shrink down, his shoulders sinking to make himself look smaller. "Could you not?"

Laughing, his mother ruffled his hair affectionately. "Alright, I won't embarrass you any further," she conceded. "You can talk to (L/n)-chan for a bit, if you'd like. I'll be waiting by the counter, okay?"

Sighing, the boy nodded, watching his mother leave with one last goodbye to (Y/n) before turning to the girl himself.

"I'm sorry about that," Suga coughed awkwardly.

(Y/n) blinked, still processing the whole interaction. "Don't be," she said at last. "I like your mother. She's interesting."

The gray-haired male paused before breathing out a chuckle. "I'm glad then. I think she likes you, too."

"You think?" she raised her eyebrow. "I did nearly run into her with my shopping cart, so I wasn't too sure, but I'll take your word for it. Hopefully, she won't remember me as just 'The Girl Who Nearly Wrecked the Eggs'. That would really be awful."

His head tilting with an amused smile playing on his lips, he studied her for a moment. "Are you embarrassed, (Y/n)?"

"Geez, Suga," she drawled, "at least don't call me out like that. I just don't know what to do with myself right now, so you'll have to excuse my blabbering."

"Actually, I'm kind of glad I'm not the only one who's feeling really weird about that," he admitted, shifting.

She cleared her throat in an attempt to compose herself. "I'm tempted to ask that we forget about this whole thing and pretend we've just run into each other right now."

"I'm tempted to agree."

Brightly smiling, she nodded. "That's settled then. My, what a coincidence running into you here, Suga."

He held back his laughter, trying to play along. "Totally unexpected," he agreed. "So, what're you shopping for?"

Waving her hand at the cart, she shrugged. "Groceries and other boring stuff. I might get around to baking something this week. We'll see what I'm in the mood for."

"You bake?" Suga questioned. "I didn't peg you as the baking type."

She made a noncommittal sound. "I'm not, I suppose. But I do know how to bake most things, and occasionally, I'll do it for the sake of having something sweet around the house. Most deserts don't last long in my house," she explained, recalling Meher's tendency to clean the fridge of all treats.

It was the cause of endless chagrin on (Y/n) and her mother's parts.

"Maybe one day I could try some of your creations." He shot her a lopsided grin.

(Y/n) returned the smile, holding his gaze with a strange sense of purpose. "I'll be sure to save you some of whatever I bake next time I get around to doing it," she promised.

Suga chuckled. "Thanks in advance." He shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans. "I should get going now."

Nodding, she waved in goodbye. "Enjoy your weekend," she called.

"You too." Suga waved back over his shoulder before disappearing down the aisles leading to the cash counters, leaving her alone to sigh.

The puzzled feeling didn't leave (Y/n) until later, when she was walking home and wondering what Sugawara-san must've thought of her. In the moment, the girl had felt clueless and had been fumbling for words, so she could only hope that the woman didn't think of the girl as a bit of an idiot.

 _Ah, what a mess_ , (Y/n) sighed to herself, readjusting the bags of groceries in her hold. It was best to just forget about it since there was nothing she could do now.

Unbeknownst to her, the Sugawara matriarch had decided that she rather liked her son's pretty new friend, and was very much hoping to meet her again under preferably different circumstances.

Maybe she could convince Koushi to bring the girl over sometime?

Perhaps, if she was lucky enough, her son would do it of his own accord. And she would never say this to Koushi, but she was secretly also hoping that (Y/n) might end up dating her son just so Koushi would've had at least one relationship in his high school years.

A mother could only hope.


	8. Chapter 8

When (Y/n) had texted him to ask if he was allergic to raspberries, Koushi hadn't been expecting for her to shove a container full of chocolate and raspberry tarts in his face. 

"I baked," she explained cheerfully, grinning at the bewildered expression on his face. "It's my mom's newest secret recipe, so count yourself lucky for getting to try those before they even got added to _Hinansho_ 's menu."

Koushi paused in opening the lid of the container to stare at the girl with wide eyes. "Your mom works at _Hinansho_?"

In response, she shot him an amused look. "My mom _owns Hinansho_ ," (Y/n) corrected.

Suddenly, Koushi was looking at the box of tarts like they were blessings from the gods, making her roll her eyes as she sat down beside him at a cafeteria table. 

"Are you waiting for Sawamura-kun?" she asked, folding her arms on the tabletop and leaning her weight on them slightly. 

Koushi nodded, trying not to feel too aware of how close she was seated. He could faintly smell the scent of lemon and freshly washed linen on her, and Koushi struggled not to think about why he even noticed that. 

Instead, he cleared his throat and nodded to answer her question. "Yeah," he replied, "I'm waiting for Daichi to get Asahi."

"Asahi?" (Y/n) repeated, eyebrows furrowing in thought. "Oh, Azumane Asahi-kun of class 3? He's on your team, too, right? I think they called him the ace during your match against Shiratorizawa."

The setter brightened, sitting up straight. "Yeah, Asahi's our ace," he confirmed, grinning. "He's a bit of a scaredy-cat despite his appearance. However, regardless of his 'Glass Heart', Asahi is an amazing player."

"His spikes were insanely powerful," (Y/n) recalled vaguely. She'd always been a little intimidated by Azumane, and more than a little envious of his height (not because she was all that short, but because she just liked the idea of being taller). And the rumors that floated around about the boy weren't really helped by seeing him in action and spiking the volleyball so hard, she could still remember how hard it hit the gym floor.

To hear that he was essentially a gentle giant was a little surprising, but she knew better than to assume she knew everything about a person she hadn't even spoken to.

"Are you badmouthing us?"

The pair turned to find Daichi and Asahi standing behind them, the latter of which looked highly unwilling to be there. 

Asahi tried for a smile directed at (Y/n), hoping to come off as less intimidating. To his surprise (and relief), the girl smiled back, greeting him with a friendly "Hello, Azumane-kun."

"I wasn't badmouthing you," Koushi denied, huffing slightly. 

"He really wasn't," (Y/n) agreed, coming to his rescue as she grinned at Daichi, who nodded back in greeting.

The two boys sat down across from her and Koushi. "Are you going to be joining us for lunch, (L/n)?" Daichi brought up, gaze lingering on the box in front of the setter, interest evident on his face.

"Ah, no." (Y/n) shook her head. "I only stopped by to give Suga a batch of my tarts, as promised. Besides, I wouldn't want to intrude."

"You wouldn't be intruding," Koushi jumped in quickly, pointedly ignoring Daichi's smirk and Asahi's piqued interest. 

(Y/n) paused, smiling at him briefly as she stood up. "Maybe some other time," she offered a little awkwardly. "I have to get to the auditorium for now." Turning to Asahi and Daichi, she added, "Please feel free to try the tarts. I went a little overboard with how many I made."

"You're not going to have any?" Asahi piped up tentatively, trying not to look as nervous as he felt. 

She shook her head. "You won't believe how many I end up eating as I'm making them. It's concerning, really."

With a last grin and wave in goodbye, she turned away from three boys, winding her way back to the auditorium as she busily wiped off her sweaty palms on her skirt. 

The whole tart fiasco had been more nerve-wracking for her than she cared to admit, but (Y/n) was a performer after all, and pushing through despite the nerves was second nature. Suga was a nice boy, and she had faith in her cooking skills, but (Y/n) wasn't particularly experienced in the 'Giving boys (that weren't Shouyou) homemade deserts' department. 

She felt a little silly, in all honesty, and very much like she was faced with a schoolgirl crush, which in itself was an absolutely absurd thought. 

(L/n) (Y/n) did not do schoolgirl crushes. She was always more in-control of herself, but something about Suga struck a chord of faint panic within her. 

It was a strange feeling, and she wasn't sure whether it was a good thing or a bad one. 

"Hey, (Y/n)-chan," Ayumi's voice accompanied a tap on (Y/n)'s shoulder. "You look very preoccupied today. Something on your mind?"

(Y/n) considered her response before nodding eventually. "Stage fright."


	9. Chapter 9

In a rare moment of quiet, the orange-haired boy hunched over his notebook, furrowing his brow as he tackled a problem set under (Y/n)'s watchful gaze. 

"That's supposed to be a negative sign," she interrupted softly, reaching over to point at the last step, smiling in amusement when Shouyou groaned in frustration. "You got it mostly right, though. Just finish it up correctly and we can take a snack break."

With food as an incentive, he muddled through the last of the problem before throwing his arms up in victory. "Finally!" he cried, dropping limply over (Y/n)'s study table.

Patting his head indulgently, she stood up from her seat next to him, calling out for him to follow her to the kitchen. "I'm pretty sure we have pancake mix left over," she muttered to herself. "Maybe I can make crepes?"

"Yes, please!" Shouyou chimed, cutting in to respond to her musings, grinning when she ruffled his hair fondly. Seating himself on the bar-stool he usually occupied, he watched keenly while his older friend buzzed about the kitchen to gather her supplies.

Once her work station was set up, she turned to him solemnly. "Listen well, young grasshopper," she began in her old man voice, eyes drooping exaggeratedly, "for I shall bestow upon you the knowledge on how to make delicious crepes."

And so began the tedious, but entertaining process of teaching Shouyou how to make the perfect crepe. He wasn't a very good culinary student and she wasn't a particularly patient teacher, but they managed to not burn down the kitchen which was a success as far as either of them was concerned. 

"These are good," the boy decided after contemplatively chewing on a bite for longer than really needed. "The tarts you gave Suga-san the other day were really good, too!"

(Y/n) paused, blinking slowly. "Did Suga share some with you?" she asked, tilting her head.

Nodding energetically, Shouyou grinned. "Yeah! Noya-san spotted them and so the team ended up splitting them," he recalled. "Suga-san looked kind of pained, though."

She snorted. "If I had to share my sweets, I'd feel pained, too," she pointed out. 

Humming, the wing spiker fell into an uncharacteristically thoughtful silence. "Say, (Y/n)," he began, haphazardly wiping some whipped cream off his nose, "are you and Suga-san dating?"

Despite her best efforts, heat shot up to the girl's face and she could only hope that it didn't turn her cheeks red because that would be more embarrassing than she thought she could handle in front of her childhood friend. "We're not dating, Shouyou," she emphasized, struggling to maintain her composure but managing nonetheless. "We're just friends."

"Really?" Shouyou sounded surprised but accepted her answer with a compliant shrug. "Okay. I just thought you were because you baked him sweets and stuff. And I heard Daichi-san tease Suga-san about you guys hanging out, so I just assumed."

"Oh." She blinked, unsure on how to respond. 

Undeterred by her uncertainty, he smiled brightly at her. "Suga-san is really nice, isn't he? He tends to be rough around Daichi-san and Asahi-san, but he's very kind otherwise. He's always wanting to improve," he chattered excitably. "He's so cool when we do the synchro attack! Have you seen it?"

"What's the synchro attack?" she asked blankly. 

Shouyou perked up, his hands rising to accompany his explanation with wild gestures, very nearly knocking his plate off the counter. She struggled to follow the quick stream of words as the boy prattled on, but she did manage to get the gist of the move he was referring to. 

"I think I've seen it," she cut in. "I don't remember much of the match I've seen, but it sounds kind of familiar."

"Kageyama doesn't have it down like Suga-san does yet," he added, taking a big bite out of his crepe.

(Y/n) glanced at her friend carefully. "I see."

Nodding once at her, he returned her gaze with a strange kind of determination. "If you do end up dating Suga-san, I will wholeheartedly support you and make sure that Noya-san doesn't try to test Suga-san," he announced. 

Burying her face in her hands, (Y/n) shook her head. "We're not dating, Shouyou, and I don't think that's going to hap-" Abruptly coming to a pause, she looked at her orange-haired friend with narrowed eyes. "What do you mean Noya will try to test Suga?" she demanded. 

"He seems pretty protective of you," Shouyou admitted.

This time, it was (Y/n) who ended up dropping over the counter. "I'm doomed to spinsterhood for the rest of my life."

"Why would you say that?" he asked curiously, patting his friend's head. 

"Noya's never going to approve of any guy," (Y/n) sniffed. "Maybe I should just ask out Kiyoko-chan?"

Shouyou tilted his head in consideration, picturing the two girls together. "I think Noya-san would actually approve of that."


	10. Chapter 10

(Y/n) had never thought herself to be the best secret keeper out there. Of course, she did her absolute best to keep secrets that weren't hers to tell and those that were far too important to share, but the harmless kind of secrets never really lasted all that long with her when faced with someone she enjoyed talking to.

Unfortunately (in this situation, at least), (Y/n) really enjoyed talking to Suga. And this meant that soon enough, she had given into his subtle and playful prodding, letting him into the auditorium to see the preparations for the play that the drama club was keeping strictly under the wraps.

"You absolutely cannot tell anyone," she reminded the gray-haired boy firmly, hands resting against the bar to push open the doors to the auditorium. "I'll get into so much trouble with my club members if they find out I'm letting you in."

Suga smiled at her, amused despite her seriousness. "Aren't you the club president, though?" he asked.

"Yeah," she confirmed. "Can you imagine how awful it would be for the club president to be thrown out of her own club?"

Laughing under his breath, he shook his head. "I won't tell anyone. Promise."

She hesitated for only a moment longer before finally pushing the doors open and waving him in quickly, leading him towards the unoccupied stage. (Y/n) had made sure to set up this little visit once rehearsals were done for the day and the members would have already left for their respective homes. As a result, the two third years were left to carefully make their way onto the wide stage.

"All our stuff is back here," she informed, jerking her head towards the curtains that led backstage. "Come on," she added, grabbing Suga's wrist without a thought and tugging him to follow her, missing the way he stiffened momentarily. 

Wisely deciding to not pay attention to her cold fingers wrapped around his wrist, he examined the tall, painted sets and the racks of costumes. He had been backstage before for other programs, but somehow, the place had never felt more suited for purpose than it did while littered with all that made up the drama club's play.

"Have you ever heard of _Into the Woods_?" (Y/n) asked, her eyes wandering over the backdrops with what he thought was pride. 

Suga nodded slowly. "I watched the movie when it came out," he offered, eyeing a pair of golden slippers glinting in the faint light, sat on a stool.

Humming, she kicked away a stray washcloth. "The movie was a little modified," she told him, "but still really very good. The play is a lot of fun as well."

"So, that's what you're putting up this year?" he asked, turning to her with raised eyebrows. 

(Y/n) nodded, smiling widely at him, not bothering to hide her excitement. "We always put up fairytales, and I thought why not do a whole bunch of them and then it just kind of came to be _Into the Woods_ when a few others requested a musical for this year."

"Are you acting as well?" Suga asked, absently wondering how (Y/n) would look as Cinderella perhaps. He immediately resolved to not linger on the thought because imagining the girl in a golden ball gown was not what he would consider very good for his health. 

"I really wanted to," she admitted, biting her lip unconsciously, "but I can only do one thing, so I chose to direct instead."

Koushi wouldn't admit it, but he was just a little bit disappointed. "Which role would you have played if you'd decided to act instead?"

She smiled slowly. "The baker's wife," she told him. "And not just because I loved Emily Blunt in the Disney production of the musical." The girl paused, looking at him thoughtfully for a moment. "You know what? I think you'd be good as the baker, actually."

Pausing for a moment, Koushi tried very hard to fight back the possible reddening of his face as he digested her claim in essentially making him her husband, even if it was simply for the play and he didn't know jack about acting or theater.

Meanwhile, (Y/n) herself was barely resisting the urge to facepalm while she began to laugh nervously. "From a casting point of view, of course," she explained awkwardly, waving her hand in illustration.

"Of course," he agreed hurriedly, voice an octave higher than normal.

The both of them cleared their throats and looked away resolutely, fixating on the floor like it was the most interesting thing in the world. 

In his desperate search to find something to alleviate the settling awkwardness, Koushi's eyes landed on the piano placed neatly off to the side. "Do you play?" he asked her suddenly.

Thrown off for a second, she followed his gaze to the piano, expression clearing from the previous confusion as she nodded. "I took lessons for a couple of years, but I've only been playing casually for the last few years," she informed, shifting her weight. 

"Would you play something for me now?" he inquired cautiously, hoping that he wasn't overstepping his boundaries. 

(Y/n) bit her lip in thought for a brief moment before sighing and nodding slowly, leading the way to the piano and slowly sitting down on the bench, her fingers resting over the keys. Koushi watched her brow furrow, presumably while she thought of what to play, and took the chance to simply admire the picture she painted, sat by the piano so seriously. 

Eventually, she settled on something, nodding to herself and tentatively pressing down on the keys, slowly but surely building up to a familiar melody that he'd heard many times before but didn't recognize by name. 

Watching someone play an instrument is fascinating, Koushi realized dazedly, following the movement of her fingers across the piano keys. That may also be attributed to his general intrigue of (Y/n), though. 

She messed up twice, making a face both times when she missed the right note, but she was still good. (Y/n) played quite lightly, without applying too much pressure on the keys as he'd seen some pianists do. Nevertheless, it suited her, and he thought she looked somehow entrancing under the dim lighting while playing.

When she finished, Koushi clapped, grinning at her reddening cheeks and bashful smile. "That was great!"

"Thanks," (Y/n) muttered, wrinkling her nose slightly. "I'm way out of practice, though. It's been a while since I've played anything, let alone 'For Elise'."

"That's what it's called?" he asked, gesturing for her to scoot slightly so he could sit down beside her. Now, he was by no means a trained pianist. Aside from, perhaps, one year of learning when he was in grade school, he didn't have any experience either. But he somehow didn't feel too worried about potentially messing up in front of (Y/n) as he brought his own fingers to rest on the keys, experimentally pressing down on a few of them and cringing slightly at the volume.

The warmth from their arms pressed together brought with it a foreign sense of comfort that he let wash over him, smiling as he played out the tune to some advertisement jingle he'd memorized as a kid with all the grace he could muster as an amateur. 

Grinning widely, she joined him in playing the tune, both of them collapsing into a fit of giggles when she messed up far too obviously to play off. 

"If my old piano teacher saw me now, he'd probably get an aneurysm because of how disgraceful my playing has become," she commented, absently continuing to play out the melody of some song he recognized as some western hit. 

Koushi chuckled, shaking his head as he watched her. "You aren't that bad," he refuted. 

She smiled at him in thanks. "My teacher, however, would disagree. He was a picky man, but still a good teacher." 

"It was opposite for me," he recalled. "Mine was a nice woman, but she wasn't particularly great at explaining or holding interest. My mom was really disappointed when I told her that I wanted to drop the piano lessons. She loves the instrument. When she gets time, she still likes to play it. I guess she was hoping her son would share her passion." 

(Y/n)'s eyebrow rose. "Do you guys have a piano at home or something?" 

"Yeah." He stopped, eyebrows furrowing when she looked at him with wide eyes. "What?" 

"I'm jealous, is what," she answered promptly. "You lucky boy, Suga." 

He flushed slightly, turning away. "I didn't think it was a big deal," he muttered. (Y/n) looking at him like he just handed her a lottery winning ticket was seriously not good for his health. "You could come over and see it sometime, if you'd like," he offered weakly. "I'm sure my mom would be thrilled someone other than her is actually using it." 

Eyebrows shooting upwards, she leaned closer to him. "Are you sure she wouldn't mind? I feel kind of weird about this." 

Clearing his throat, he nodded. "My mom's been asking to meet you properly anyways, so she's going to be happy if you just show your face." 

(Y/n) chuckled. "If you're sure," she conceded, ducking her head. "I guess I owe you something, then." 

"Oh?" he asked, smile growing when she hummed and pretended to be distraught. "What do I get for letting you play the precious Sugawara family piano?"

Tilting her head in thought, (Y/n) ended up shrugging at him. "I don't know," she admitted. "What would you like, Suga?"

Koushi hesitated for a moment, but then figured he had nothing to lose. "I'd really like to see Hinansho," he revealed, biting his lip and looking away sheepishly. His shoulders tensed, reminding his companion very much of the defense mechanism of a tortoise, but she kept this thought to herself while she smiled. 

"Like, for a proper meal, or a casual tour?" she asked in confirmation, crossing her feet at the ankles and leaning back to look at him properly.

Suga's eyes widened for a moment, but he quickly recovered and grinned because her inquiry suggested that she'd accepted his request. "Just a tour," he replied swiftly. "A meal is asking for too much. I just want to see what it's like inside. It's pretty reputed, you know, so I'm kind of curious to see how a high-end restaurant works behind the scenes."

"It's absolute pandemonium, I can tell you that," (Y/n) said, rolling her eyes in memory of the constant running around and shouting that takes place in the kitchen of said restaurant. "But, alright, Suga. If it's Hinansho you want to see, I can do that. And I'm pretty sure my mom will be more than happy to cook you anything of your choosing if we ask."

He shook his head wildly, feeling intimidated at the prospect of the mother of the girl he liked making him a dish from her five-star restaurant.

 _Hold up._ Koushi froze in realization. _I like (Y/n)._

Well, he supposed he'd known that already. But he was really hoping he'd be over his little crush by now, and yet here he was, failing at even being in denial of his own feelings. What was the point of being fussy in front of Daichi then when the dark-haired boy had been right all along.

A small part of Koushi had known that Daichi was right even then though. 

"Well, then maybe I'll make you something off of Hinansho's menu," (Y/n) was suggesting, unaware of the internal freaking out of the boy beside her. "Your options are a lot more limited now though, naturally. I'm by no means a professional after all."

When she realized that Koushi wasn't even moving, she turned to him in confusion, furrowing her eyebrows when she came to face with his flushed cheeks and wide eyes. 

"Suga? You okay?"

For a horrible moment, he was very distracted by the way her mouth pronounced his name and the way the dim light fell on her hair and cast shadows across her face but reflected brightly in the pools of her eyes and _oh shit she's really close and she smells like fabric softener and lemon and wow she's warm but her fingers were cold earlier and can she hear my heartbeat?_

Jumping slightly, he scooted a little away just in case she heard the war drum in his chest, squeaking out "I'm great!" in panic induced desperation. 

Her eyebrows shot up at his sudden shift in behavior, but she smiled unsurely and didn't question it. "Great," she repeated slowly, awkwardly accepting his answer. 

Koushi could feel the beginnings of an uncomfortable silence creeping up on them so, he decided to stand up and swing the strap of his bag over his shoulder. "Uh, we should probably get going though," he suggested, scratching the back of his neck.

Glancing at her black wristwatch, she hummed in agreement. "You're right. It's getting kind of late."

That said, the pair quietly shuffled out of the auditorium, exiting the school in relative silence wherein Koushi continued to internally die and (Y/n) stole worried glances at him. 

"Are you sure you're feeling alright, Suga?" she asked, peering over at him with pursed lips.

Hoping to dispel her concern, he attempted for a laugh, waving his hand dismissively. "I'm okay," he assured her, valiantly avoiding a jump in surprise when their hands brushed against each other. "Just a little...distracted."

(Y/n) blinked, shrugging as she decided to let him off the hook. If he didn't want to tell her, then she wasn't going to push. She had no need to stick her nose in his business. "Are you free this Friday night?" she asked instead. 

"Yeah," he answered, tilting his head curiously. 

(Y/n) smiled, pleased. "Good. _Hinansho_ awaits." She glanced at him sideways, her smile fading into something coy. "Look forward to my cooking."

Swallowing, he nodded, watching her walk ahead and entering the subway station as she waved over her shoulder, leaving him to sigh into the evening air because (L/n) (Y/n) was going to be the death of him.

Oddly enough, however, Koushi didn't really mind the idea of that.


	11. Chapter 11

"Is it weird to be feeling nervous about this?" Koushi asked, nervously wringing his hands together to try and keep his mind away from how out of place he felt in his casual clothes while standing in front of the obviously posh restaurant. 

(Y/n) tossed him an amused look over her shoulder, waving her hand for him to hurry up as she approached the main entrance of Hinansho. "I wouldn't know, Suga," she replied. "I've grown up around here, remember?" The place was closed for the night, but she ignored that and pulled a set of keys out of the pocket of her joggers, unlocking the door and holding it open for him. "But I promise that there's nothing to be worried about when no one's around." 

He raised an eyebrow at her as he passed her to enter, immediately taking in the interior with a strange sense of amazement because he was unlikely to be able to afford to be standing somewhere so expensive, and yet here he was. "And otherwise it is something to be worried about?" 

"Not really." She shrugged. "But I get being intimidated by all the fancy people and their fancy table manners." 

Koushi smiled in amusement at her 'eloquence', finding her flippant tone endearing as he followed her further into the establishment. "Nice," he breathed, looking around at the vastness of the room and the modern decor. "I like the lights," he added, pointing at the row of small bulbs that lined the middle of the walls enclosing the space. 

"Mom hired a good interior decorator," (Y/n) agreed, nodding. She found his interest in the place a little strange since this was all the norm for her, but she appreciated Suga's excitement over something her mom put her work and soul into. It made her feel proud- of her mom, and weirdly, of Koushi as well. 

Tugging at the sleeves of his gray hoodie, he announced, "I feel extremely under-dressed right now." 

(Y/n) shot him a deadpan look. "I'm practically in my pajamas right now, Suga," she pointed out, gesturing at herself. "You're fine, trust me." She wasn't even lying. By the time rehearsal had ended for the day, she was so tired, seven the prospect of seeing Suga couldn't bring her to put too much effort into her appearance. As such, she'd declared her graphic tee, joggers and black jacket acceptable and left the house with a goodbye to her mother. At least she'd brushed her hair though. 

"We look pretty ridiculous standing in Hinansho like this," he observed with a chuckle. 

She grinned at him. "When else are you gonna get a chance like this, right?" 

Eyeing the girl in front of him and the way the light behind her made it seem like she was the one glowing, Koushi nodded slowly, smiling shyly at her. "Right." 

For a moment, (Y/n) was thrown off by the softness of his gaze and the fact that he was looking right into her eyes with a meaningfulness that had her face heating steadily. She stuffed her hands into the pockets of her jacket, clearing her throat as she looked away in search of a distraction to fill up the anticipatory silence between them. When her eyes found a table for two in the middle of the room, she grinned. "Oh, you should sit down!" 

Koushi blinked, puzzled by her sudden suggestion and her busy ushering towards the table. "What?" 

"I'm trying to give you the Hinansho experience, Suga," she explained impatiently. "Work with me, will you?" 

He looked at her incredulously, allowing himself to be directed into sitting down at the table. "Do you treat all your guests like this?" he asked, a teasing smile curling at his lips when she waved her hands at his little jab. 

(Y/n) straightened her posture in the picture of professionalism, both of them wisely ignoring her lazy attire. "I'm (L/n) (Y/n) and I will be your server for the evening," she introduced formally before pausing and pursing her lips. "I was also your hostess. And I'll be your chef." 

"Not to mention my dining partner," Koushi added, leaning into the palm of his hand, propping his elbow up on the table, watching her with interest.

"That is a lot of roles to play," she muttered, mostly to herself. "I'm the sous-chef, pâtissier, and dishwasher, too." 

He raised his hand, calling for her attention. "I can be the sous-chef and dishwasher if you want," he volunteered. 

(Y/n) frowned. "What about your Hinansho experience?" 

"I'd rather be hanging out with you in the kitchen, to be honest," he admitted, his cheeks heating up at the courage it took to just let her know that. 

She stood silent for a moment, appearing to fight a smile and losing anyways, ducking her head as she chuckled because Sugawara Koushi was just so damn sweet and it was getting to her in ways most boys couldn't. "Alright, sous-chef," she said finally. "Let's not waste time, shall we? We have a very important young man for a guest tonight and he deserves our very best." 

Koushi grinned brightly, springing up to his feet and cheerfully following her to the double-doors on the opposite side of the restaurant which he correctly assumed to be the ones leading into the kitchen. 

"This," she began, pushing them open, "is where the magic happens." 

Inside were several rows of metal counter-tops and sinks, visibly divided into different sections and each station equipped with things including those he recognized and some which he didn't even know were used to cook. Even though it was currently empty, he could imagine how busy it must look when Hinansho was at peak capacity. The kitchen was, in all honesty, a kind of contrast to the effortless and chic look that had become signature of the establishment. 

"So," he rubbed his hands together, "what's on the menu for today?" 

(Y/n) glanced at him, smiling secretively as she grabbed his wrist and tugged him along to a counter she seemed to know particularly well. She ducked under the counter to pull out two plates and bowls before turning to cabinet overhead with a practiced ease that he found very fascinating. Just how much time did (Y/n) spend cooking in her mother's five star restaurant? 

"Initially, I thought I'd make something from some other country's cuisine, but then I thought that the Japanese tend to get picky with flavors and such so I dropped that idea," she relayed. "Confession: I can only make the more common Japanese dishes because I didn't get around to learning. I'm also not very fond of cooking and dealing with seafood in general." 

"So, no fish," he concluded, tilting his head and furrowing his eyebrows when she shook her head. 

"Yes fish," she told him, "because I cheated and got my mom to put something away for our little rendezvous if she was free for a little bit earlier today, and she did." When his eyes widened in realization of what she was obviously implying, (Y/n) grinned. "You get at least some of the Hinansho experience this way."

Telling him to stay put while she went to the fridge to collect their dinner, she left Koushi to stand by the counter in a daze because he swore he just fell for this girl all over again in the span of the past twenty minutes. Had she made it her life mission to make him want to constantly shove his head into the ground? 

Now that he had admitted his feelings to himself, Koushi's life had gotten equal parts more difficult and easier. Difficult because now he was just so much more _aware_ of her whenever they got together. Koushi constantly felt like his brain was overheating in her proximity. But easier, too, because now he could just admire her without wanting to scold himself for it.

Daichi already knew of this development. Earlier, when he'd gone to casually poke at Koushi for it, the setter had calmly agreed even though it killed his pride, and the acknowledgment had immediately sobered Daichi because if Koushi wasn't fighting it, then it was officially serious. His reactions to any further teasing were likely to be more lovesick than entertaining, and Daichi would rather not have that on his hands. 

When (Y/n) returned, she was balancing three small containers of food and he immediately snapped out of his daze, rushing to help her. 

"You always seem to be helping me carry something," she observed, smiling as she alluded to their first proper conversation. "Truly a gentleman." 

He valiantly fought against the rising blush, not knowing if he was losing or winning but forging through anyways. "It's nothing really," he insisted, clearing his throat. 

(Y/n) watched him for a beat, her eyes narrowed slightly and sharp with something that made him nervous, but her expression cleared quickly and she busied herself with serving what her mother had prepared. 

Despite their awkward fumbling, the pair managed to strike up a decent conversation through their main course which eventually carried over even after they were done and (Y/n) began preparing their dessert. 

"How's the play coming along?" Koushi asked, watching her get started on the roasted tea crème brûlée as he leaned against the counter, the cold seeping through his hoodie. 

(Y/n) laughed sarcastically. "I don't even know at this point. I'm probably going to either turn into some sort of rage monster or just cry my eyes out during practice one of these days," she confided bitterly. "But that's theater for you. It doesn't come together until, practically, the very end. Enough about my plausible break down, though. How're your practices going with the team?" 

"Really well, actually," he informed, smiling almost giddily. "We're all giving it our all, and even though it's terrifying, I'm also very proud of how far we've come." 

She paused, turning to him with a soft smile. "I really like when you talk about the team," she admitted. "It's so sweet how you guys are so close and so passionate about this. It's kind of inspiring, honestly. Also it makes me feel bad about my own chaotic production team but that's different." 

"Things will come together," he assured her. "Don't stress about it." 

"I'll try," she said without much conviction, "but I'm getting more worried as we get closer to the performance." 

Koushi pursed his lips, not sure on what to say, but she seemed to sense this and changed the topic swiftly. The rest of their discussion flowed along nicely until she was done with their dessert which they shared in the quiet kitchen before cleaning up their small mess and agreeing that it was time to be heading home since it was quite late already. It had been a little past 9:30 at night when they'd entered as it is. 

He insisted on walking her home before he made his own way back home, feeling a deep sense of satisfaction from his full belly and the strange warmth tingling in his fingers and toes. He felt like he tended to whenever his team came out on top of a long relay, and he wondered if it was because of all the exercise (Y/n)'s presence put his heart through. 

Meanwhile, at home, (Y/n) sat with her head on her mother's lap while the woman ran her hand through her daughter's hair, silence enveloping their living room. 

"What's on your mind?" (M/n) asked, untangling the few knots gently. 

(Y/n) blinked drowsily. "Suga," she answered honestly, her cheeks immediately turning pink when her mother smiled knowingly. "He's just-- he's a really nice guy, Mom. He looked so happy even though it was just the kitchen after closing time."

"I'd like to meet him someday," (M/n) said softly, smiling down at the girl. "Next time, maybe you ought to bring him over."

"I will," (Y/n) assured before pausing, obviously deep in thought about something. "I think he likes me." 

For a second, (M/n) halted her movements before casually resuming. "What makes you think that?" she asked carefully. 

The girl closed her eyes, her hands coming up to hide her face from view to prevent her mother from clearly seeing her embarrassment. "I don't know," she grumbled. "He's been a bit different these past few days. More shy. More blush-y. Like, he's more cautious and he gets flustered more easily. And, sure, it's kinda cute, but I don't know if I'm ready for the whole dating thing right now if it turns out he does like me." 

"Then just say no if he confesses," the elder woman stated simply, knowing that it would displease (Y/n). 

As predicted, the teen frowned at the suggestion. "I don't think I want to do that, either," she admitted quietly. 

"Do you like this boy, too?" (M/n) asked, eyebrows rising as her lips twitched. Although it was too dark to properly see since they didn't bother turning on the lights in the living room, the woman had a good guess that her daughter was currently blushing. 

A pause followed in which (Y/n) took the time to seriously consider what was about to leave her mouth next before she sighed. "Yeah, I guess I do." 

"Then you should give him, and yourself, a chance," (M/n) advised, voice soft and loving. "Nothing will ever bring this time back to you, baby. You have to make the most of it while you can, even if it means sometimes trying things that you're unsure of. If you like this boy, and if he likes you, then that's all you should think about for now. If something happens to change your mind later, then deal with it then." 

"Okay," (Y/n) voiced meekly. "Thanks, Mom." 

The elder woman chuckled. "No problem, baby."


	12. Chapter 12

Koushi realized that (Y/n) became someone very different when she was in her element, standing off stage and directing her actors and props to recreate a vision she saw so clearly in her head. Sure, she was still the same girl he'd come to know so well, but she was so much more serious and intense. The love and passion she had for what she was doing so obvious to anyone who bothered to take one look at her, that he found himself admiring the surety and strength behind each instruction she gave out to her production team. 

That was a difficult task as it was since he was currently stowed behind some props backstage from where he could only really see a quarter of the stage if he strained hard enough, but he ignored the ache in his neck as he tried to catch a glimpse of her. Absently, her gaze wandered over to where she'd hidden him prior to the beginning of the rehearsal, and (Y/n) shot him a subtle smile that quickly disappeared when someone onstage fumbled with their lines. 

"Is this how you intend to deliver during the actual show?" she asked, her voice calm but quite obviously challenging. 

Koushi briefly entertained the thought of Tsukishima as one of the actors but quickly shoved it aside, shuddering to think that (Y/n) would probably just murder the blond for his sass and blatant disregard for instructions he didn't care for. Besides, Tsukishima wouldn't put his full effort into the play when he rarely did for volleyball, and it would most definitely piss (Y/n) off when she was hell bent on getting nothing but the best from her cast. 

That was also why she had taken no excuses and had insisted that everyone be present for rehearsal despite it being a particularly nice Sunday morning. She had gone to great lengths to make it happen and she would not let her efforts go to waste, as she had told him. (Y/n) had even requested that he come along and watch so she could have an outsider's opinion as well to avoid any and all bias. 

It hit him just how much this one play meant to her, and he was kind of thrown off by how such different things held importance to different people. He didn't exactly know why cared so much about the school's annual production, but he did know that this play was to (Y/n) like volleyball was to him and he could respect that. 

He had to wait for quite a while before practice ended for the theater kids, in the middle of which (Y/n) had taken pity and relocated him to the very back where he could at least sit comfortably. Then it took even longer for everyone to pack and clean up, only after all of which (Y/n) trudged to his spot behind a bunch of tall backdrops, plopping down onto the ground beside him and emptying the remaining contents of her water bottle. 

"So," she turned to him with raised eyebrows, "what did you think?" 

Koushi smiled apologetically. "I mean, I didn't really know what exactly to look for," he admitted, putting aside his textbook and highlighter, crossing his legs, "but I thought it was really good. The actors are pretty fluid with their lines and they seem to have decent stage presence and chemistry." 

She watched him for a moment before humming conclusively. "Okay," she nodded, "I'm not smuggling you in again." 

"What?" His eyebrows shot up. "Was that the wrong thing to say?" 

(Y/n) shrugged, grinning at him. "Yeah, kinda. Don't worry, though. I didn't really expect you to pick up on their mistakes when you aren't well versed regarding theatrical intricacies." 

He shook his head, fixing his gaze ahead as they sat in amicable silence, shoulders barely touching with the maintenance of a careful distance between them. "You know," he began slowly, "your audience isn't likely to be too well versed with all the details either."

"That isn't really an excuse to not do our absolute best, is it?" she challenged. "We're doing this more for ourselves than them." 

Humming, he nodded in understanding. He could relate to that. This play really was to (Y/n) what a match would be to him. 

"Besides," she continued, "our senpai, who've already graduated, will be dropping by to watch us, so I want to show them something that'll make them feel proud of us. I can't expect perfection, but I know these guys can do even better and I want to draw it out of them. I'd be a pretty rubbish director if I couldn't." 

Koushi smiled to himself. "That's sort of like what the setter's job is in volleyball," he mused aloud, drawing up the parallels. 

(Y/n)'s eyebrows rose by a fraction. "Volleyball and theater. That's an ambitious comparison you're talking about." 

"And film-making," he added. 

She made a sound of agreement. "And film-making," she repeated softly. "Did you know that talent scouts show up to these kind of things for future stars? Actors, singers, dancers, directors, designers, artists. School festivals are a bigger deal for us because it _could_ mean getting discovered." 

"I didn't know scouts showed up to these kind of things," he admitted, surprised. 

"If you've attempted at giving yourself some exposure and have actually gained local recognition, then they'll show up to see if you're actually all that and worth scouting out," she explained. "Like I've submitted to student short-film contests before, or some of our actors have performed on a small but professional stage. If any of our club alumni are in a position where they can recommend us then that holds some weight as well. To break out into the artistic field, we have to take every damn opportunity thrown our way in case it might be our last shot." 

Koushi was stunned for a brief moment, having not realized the scale of importance of this one performance for the theater club kids. "I get why you're so hung up over this now," he muttered. 

She smiled wryly, beginning to get up. "We've hung around here long enough. We should probably head out now." She extended her hand out to help him up as well and then they were on their way out of the school and down the path that Koushi was so familiar with. 

"Are you ready for the Sugawara piano?" he asked teasingly, watching her cringe and tug at the sleeves of her slightly oversized hoodie. 

"Lead the way, Sugawara," she responded dryly. "I was born ready." There was a brief pause wherein she pursed her lips and mulled over her question, before finally deciding to just ask. "Will your parents be there?" 

Koushi hummed, nodding. "My dad had a day off anyways and my mom has the night shift today, so she's there as well, although probably asleep to make up for what she'll lose later." 

"I see," (Y/n) muttered. "Okay, but this means that you, officially, can't get out of meeting my mom next time. Just so we're even." 

He held his hand up to gesture making an oath, announcing, "I give you my word." 

Chuckling, she lightly punched him in the arm. "Dork." 

Koushi wisely decided not to linger on the fact that he could feel her warmth lingering on him even after she'd withdrawn her brief touch. Meanwhile, (Y/n) was mentally berating herself, wondering if being as touch oriented as she was was normal in a male-female friendship or not. She had been a lot more aware of herself in his company lately than she'd been before, and it was hard to figure out if she was acting out of the ordinary by maybe being just a little more careful around him now. 

It was strange, she decided, for the both of them to be in this awkward stage of deliberating between actions and emotions that went beyond friendship and veered into the uncharted territory that neither of them were quite ready to explore yet. It wasn't out of inexperience or fear exactly, but more the feeling of being out of place. There was a time and a place for everything, and it wasn't quite time yet for them to be rushing into anything headlong and risking what they were slowly building into something solid between them. 

Soon, but not just yet. 


	13. Chapter 13

The festival was...loud, for one. And very packed with students and their families and friends. 

Asahi was close to tears. The first year simpletons had run off shouting about yet another competition of theirs. Tsukishima was pissing strangers off while Yamaguchi held him back to no avail. The nerve in Daichi's forehead was throbbing disturbingly as he struggled to compose himself. Nishinoya and Tanaka were alternating between seething like animals at any male who looked twice at Kiyoko and fawning over other cute girls milling about. Yachi looked seconds away from having a stroke. 

Koushi was _not_ having fun. 

"Stop it, you two," he chided when yet another boy stiffened at the sight of the two unruly second years, looking for all the world like he'd met eyes with Medusa and turned to rock. "You're going to create a scene." 

Daichi looked around warily. "The vice principal isn't around, is he?" He shuddered, and Koushi shot him a slightly judgmental look because it was a little weird that his friend was still being plagued by nightmares of that stupid wig flying off. 

Then again, maybe Koushi would understand better if the wig in question landed on his head. The trauma of having to calmly remove it and hand it back to the paralyzed vice principal had to have been unbearable. That too on two separate occasions. 

His musings regarding the cursed wig were broken by Asahi shuffling closer and looking wounded as he caught another whisper contemplating his time as an undercover drug lord. 

"It's okay," Koushi sighed, patting the taller boy's back. "Ignore 'em. They don't matter anyways." 

Nishinoya piped up in loud agreement. "Yeah, Asahi-san! Tell the haters where they can shove their stinking opinions!" 

"No one will be shoving anything anywhere," Daichi cut in, alarmed, while Koushi laughed at Nishinoya's loudness. "Come on, guys. Behave. We have to hurry if we want to make it to (L/n)'s play in time." 

"It's gonna be so cool!" Nishinoya exclaimed, jumping up excitedly, arms and legs flanked out, and Ennoshita dodged his limbs to avoid getting hit in the face. "(Y/n)-san said she'd get us the best seats too. She's awesome, isn't she? Suga-san is a lucky man." 

The gray-haired setter had been smiling pleasantly up until the last part, at which point he choked in surprise on his own spit and hoped he hadn't turned beat red. "N-Nishinoya!" he cried in protest. "It isn't like tha-"

"(Y/n)-san also agreed to come to our next practice match," Tanaka informed with a grin that turned proud as he puffed out his chest to proclaim, "I asked her myself." 

Raising an eyebrow, Ennoshita swiftly shut his bald friend down. "You stuttered and nearly fainted until Nishinoya had to do it for you," he reminded, Kinoshita and Narita snorting to add the final blow to Tanaka's pride. 

Giving up, Koushi sighed, slumping in defeat. "They're being rowdier than usual..." 

Daichi hummed, patting his back empathetically. "Oh, but that reminds me: be sure to thank (L/n) on our behalf for inviting us. Karasuno's drama club's annual performance is pretty famous locally. It's hard to get seats on the opening day. It was nice of her to do that for us." 

Tossing him a wary glance, Suga asked, "Why not do it yourself?" 

The captain's eyes closed in an unassuming smile. "I thought she might appreciate it more from you." When Koushi promptly socked him in the arm, he laughed. "Alright, alright. I'm sorry. Geez." Seeing his gray-haired friend settle down, Daichi ventured, "Are you going to do it today?" 

Koushi threw him a nervous glance. "I'm...still not sure. I've been thinking about doing it today, but I mean, I want it to be the right time, you know?" 

The darker haired boy rolled his eyes. "Sounds like an excuse to me. A pretty lousy one at that." 

"Shut up," Koushi mumbled without much conviction. 

Tapping their shoulders, Asahi butt in. "Sorry to interrupt, but I think we just lost Noya and Tanaka." 

"What?!"

* * *

(Y/n) was officially close to tears. 

She was no stranger to the last minute backstage chaos that always accompanied the opening of a performance, but it was so much worse when she was among the ones in charge. 

The backstage coordinator had already broken down, and it was up to her and Ayumi- the stage manager- to keep things relatively in order twenty minutes before the curtains were set to rise. 

"I can't find Cinderella's golden shoes!" the costume manager cried, running up to the both of them. 

(Y/n)'s brain being fried, she replied with what was the most obvious solution to her. "Then she'll just have to be barefoot." 

Alarmed, Ayumi shook her head vigorously. "That ruins Cinderella's whole story!" 

"Has anyone seen the baker's bread?!"

Looking up solemnly, (Y/n) announced, "If they do not have bread, then let them eat cake." 

"I swear to the gods, I will personally escort you to the guillotine," Ayumi muttered under her breath before slapping her hands onto (Y/n)'s shoulders and screaming, "Snap out of it!! We need our director to stay calm on the D-day."

She probably should've given a sensible reply to that. Something along the lines of an apology or a thank you to Ayumi, because having someone yell at her did help, oddly enough. But a golden glint under the curtains caught her eye and she shoved Ayumi away to point and yell, "Cinderella's shoes!" 

And then all too soon, the curtains had risen and the opening number had begun and the butterflies in her stomach subsided to let her focus on what she'd worked so hard to perfect with the rest of her club. 

This was it, she thought to herself. This was her contribution to the Drama Club, which had given her so many wonderful memories and connections. After this play, she would step down as the club president and hand it over to the kouhai she thought best for the job. This was her chance to breakout into the world of theater or film-making that she so desperately wanted to be a part of. 

This was it. 

And, of course, nothing ever goes by without a hitch. There was a brief issue with the lighting at some point, and then the witch's wig nearly got caught on the branch of a fake tree, and the cardboard hen that laid golden eggs lost its wing, but everyone took it in stride and with true professionalism put on a performance that she was so, so proud of. 

Needless to say, she cried when the whole cast joined for the final song, and Ayumi just about squeezed the living daylights out of her in her own joy. 

With great pride and relief, (Y/n) declared the play a success. 

While everyone else took a bow on stage, reveling in the audience's applause and cheering, she climbed down from the backstage area, slipping into the crowd and squeezing her way into the front row to come to a stop beside a familiar gray-haired boy who was too preoccupied- clapping as hard as he could, eyes wide and set onto the stage- to notice her. 

"So you liked it?" she asked, grinning when he jumped in surprise. 

Once he registered that it was in fact her, Koushi grinned just as wide. "That was amazing! I loved it! I didn't even know we had such talented people in our school. Who knew Kaburagi-kun could actually sing?"

His words were at a mile a minute, and she could feel his energy fueling her own adrenaline induced excitement. Laughing, and very much not thinking, (Y/n) threw her arms around his neck, giggling into his shoulder. "Ah, I'm so relieved, Suga." 

Koushi grew quiet, his smile falling into one of affection. "Yeah," he said. "I'm really proud of you." 

She pulled back to smile at him widely, cheeks dusted a light shade of pink that made it extremely tempting to lean over and just kiss her, especially when she was already this close. 

"Hey, (Y/n)..." he murmured, "do you wa-"

"(Y/n)-senpai!!" Hinata screamed, launching himself onto the pair and managing to actually hold in an impressive display of athleticism. "That was so cool! I loved it! Musicals are so great! Even the trees were cool! And the effects were like _fwoosh,_ but the music was all _baaam,_ and the witch was like _gaaaah_ and then the giant came in like _duuunn!"_

If ever someone needed proof that humans were descended from monkeys, (Y/n) thought they ought to meet Shouyo and his incredible ability to cling onto two taller people at the same time, and still manage to keep up a somewhat coherent dialogue. 

Unlatching herself from the mass of bodies the three of them were becoming, she grinned at the younger boy. "Thanks, Shouyou."

"That was really great, (L/n)," Daichi complimented over Koushi's shoulder, Asahi managing to nod in dazed agreement, probably still a little lost in wonder from the play. 

Meanwhile, Tanaka garbled his own praise through his tears ("Did the Baker's wife really have to die, (Y/n)-san?"). 

Although a little put out by the interruption to the moment when he'd finally worked up the courage, Koushi still smiled at the sight of the volleyball club crowding around her, gushing and complimenting while she took it all with a grateful smile and flushed cheeks. 

(Y/n) was in the middle of thanking Yachi, who'd worked up the courage to tell her pretty senpai that the play was amazing and that she'd be honored to play Townsperson B in one of (Y/n)'s future productions when someone tapped on the third-year girl's shoulder for her attention.

The group looked towards a man who looked to be in his late twenties, and he bowed in greeting. 

"Sorry to interrupt, but the stage manager said that a (L/n) (Y/n)-san is the one who directed this play?"

Blinking slowly, (Y/n) nodded. "I, uh, yes. I mean, I'm (Y/n). Yeah. I, uh, directed today's production. May i help you...?"

The man smiled. "Hello, (L/n)-san. My name is Hamada Takeshi, and I was wondering if I could borrow just five minutes of your time to discuss a plausible future opportunity?" 

Stunned, she glanced behind her at the volleyball club, catching Koushi's encouraging smile before turning to the man and nodding, asking him to lead the way. 

"I just got here and she freaking left?!" A woman's voice cut in through the volleyball club's excited chattering, discussing (Y/n)'s probable scouting, and they turned to the speaker curiously.

" _Uwoh_ , you're (Y/n)-senpai's aunt!" Hinata stated after a momentary pause. 

"Ooh, you're the human tangerine!" she returned in equal volume. "Hinata-kun, was it? How ya doin', kiddo?" 

Beaming, Hinata announced, "I'm good!" 

The woman cheered, laughing. "That's good!" She turned to address everyone else, ignoring their drained looks with practiced ease because the club looked like they'd been used to fuel the other two's overwhelming energy. "Hi, kids! I'm (Y/n)'s aunt- Meher. Nice to meet you." 

"Don't scare them away, Mer," another female voice piped up from behind the enthusiastic woman. "And don't run away like that next time, either." 

The woman who'd just appeared bore a teasing smile on her face that made Koushi blink twice at it because it was an expression he'd grown used to seeing. 

"You were being slow, (M/n)," Meher whined. "We just missed your daughter." 

Ah. So she was (Y/n)'s mother. 

"Oh, these are her friends. I think I see Ayumi-chan, too. Oh, a fake shrub is stuck in her hair. Someone should probably help her with that. Poor dear," Meher spoke, scurrying off to go help the girl since everyone else looked too preoccupied with leaving or greeting the one they knew and the chaos that accompanies the end of any performance. 

(M/n) glanced at them all with a warm smile, her gaze lingering on Koushi just long enough to make him nervous as her smile became knowing, and then she excused herself to follow after her friend, asking them to let (Y/n) know that her family would be waiting outside for her. 

"Hey, Daichi," Koushi sighed, "I'm very much ready to go home now." 

Daichi looked at him sympathetically. "Tired?" 

Glancing over to where (Y/n) was being talked to by Hamada Takeshi, Koushi nodded, managing to smile at her wide eyes and dazed expression. 

"Yeah, a little bit."


	14. Chapter 14

Koushi was unsure of just when they'd decided to sit outside, on the porch of his house, or when he'd started laughing so hard that his stomach felt like it was about to rupture, but it hit him all of a sudden that in that moment, he was absolutely, utterly _happy._

"Your face is so red!" (Y/n) exclaimed, giggling while she struggled to gather herself. 

"You're no different yourself, you know," he shot back, referring to her flushed cheeks and wide grin. 

She laughed, conceding, and fell back to stare up at the sky. Koushi watched her, smiling to himself as his breathing evened out again after the laughing fit, feeling perfectly at ease. 

For an instance, the world seemed to have stilled to allow them to slip in between the folds of time and spend an eternity in a moment by each other's side. 

"Don't you have to be home soon?" Koushi asked, hoping she'd say no. 

(Y/n) shook her head, studying the darkening sky and the few stars that were beginning to peek out. "My mom finally had enough of Aunt Meher crashing at our place and dragged her back to her own house to prove that it isn't haunted," she explained, amused smile fading into a thoughtful look. "Although that haunted thing is my fault. I didn't think Meher would blow it up so much." 

"I think she just doesn't want to be alone," Koushi offered his two cents, and she nodded in agreement. 

"Probably. But she _is_ an adult woman, and I know my mom is just worried." She sighed. "Well, whatever it may be, I'm free to go home whenever I please today, so if it's alright with you, I'm not leaving just yet." 

Koushi smiled, leaning back to lie down beside her, folding his hands over his abdomen in content. "I'm glad actually. I didn't feel like being alone at home today." 

"Happy to help, Suga." She winked at him and he chuckled, brushing strands of hair out of his eyes. (Y/n) looked away, closing her eyes and inhaling deeply. "This is nice, though, isn't it? You know, it makes me wish I'd befriended you sooner. I mean, who knows what's gonna happen once we graduate. I'll miss this if we end going separate ways."

The air between them was solemn and lined with something delicate that he promptly destroyed by snorting. "You sound like Asahi now."

Scowling, she elbowed him. "I'm trying to be deep. Respect my efforts."

"You waste time moping about, you know," he pointed out. "We should just appreciate the time we do have. Tomorrow ought to be the furthest you should think into the future." 

(Y/n) hummed. "Is that so?" she questioned rhetorically. "Maybe we should list down all the things we want to do before we go off to college." 

Raising his eyebrow, he asked, "Like what?"

She sat up straight in thought, crossing her legs, and he moved to sit straight too. 

"Like... a roadtrip?" She shrugged. "I'd need to get my driver's license before that though. Oh, and I want to go camping. It's been forever since I did that. And I want to sleep for an entire day." 

"An entire day of sleep sounds really fantastic actually," he admitted.

"Right? And I want to learn a new language. And paint a sunset. Oh, and finally get started on a bullet journal. I've been procrastinating that forever." 

Koushi smiled, tilting his head. "But aren't all of these things you could do ordinarily?" 

She paused for a moment before shooting him a secretive little smile, leaning in a little closer. "Isn't life all about romanticizing the little things though?" Grinning, she nudged his shoulder with her own. "Hey, Suga, what about you? What do you want to do before leaving for college?" 

He was quiet for a long moment, taking the chance to stare at her and drink in the vague reflection of the sky in her eyes and youthful flush glowing under her skin, making her look like she was bursting with life and promise and so much hope. For a second, Koushi was a little bit stunned. And very much infatuated. 

(Y/n) was right, he realized, when she said that they didn't have a whole lot of time before their high school career would come to a close. And he knew he was right when he'd told her not to think too far ahead. He also knew that this very moment-- under the darkening sky, his neighborhood aglow with the remnants of the day's light, and (Y/n)'s shoulder against his-- was the time and place for them. 

"I don't really know," he said slowly, softly. Hesitant and unsure as he fiddled with his hands, heart hammering in his rib cage. He felt like he was about to step onto the court for the Nationals' finals or something. "Right now, though, I think I just really want to kiss you." 

There. It was done. It was out in the open now, tangible in the stilling air between them while he held his breath and so did the world, seemingly in wait for what she would say. 

"Then, I think you should just go for it," she whispered to him, like she was trying to keep the sanctity of the silence that had befallen them, and when Koushi turned to look at her with wide eyes, she smiled nervously, shifting to face him better. 

With baited breath, he watched as she leaned in slowly, until he could count all her eyelashes if he wanted to. Koushi's eyes fluttered shut as he closed the remaining gap, their lips brushing in the softest of kisses that left his nerves in tangles because for a second, his sense were being flooded by all things (Y/n). 

With only the silent neighborhood street and the winking stars as witness, the two teens finally crossed the line they'd been toeing for what felt like ages now, and Koushi swore it felt like some sort of balance had been restored to the universe as the world seemed to sigh a breath of relief. 

His universe anyways. 

"You know, Suga," she began in a brief whisper, still very much in his space, their noses brushing, "I'd really like for you to be my tomorrow." 

Koushi smiled. He didn't think he was particularly brave, and even managing this much had felt like he'd just returned from the claws of death or something, but he plucked up his courage and kissed her again, tasting her smile and feeling the pulse at the base of her neck under his fingertips almost as proof that this wasn't some hazy, October dream. 

"I'd really like that too."


	15. Chapter 15

Koushi wondered if he was dreaming or maybe hallucinating out of exhaustion when (Y/n) poked her head into the gym and waved at him with a shy smile painted across her lips. He'd never seen that version of her smile before but it kind of made him feel like his insides were dissolving. 

It still hadn't quite hit him yet that he was actually in a relationship with (L/n) (Y/n)-- the girl he'd first liked as a first year. 

When she'd slyly linked their pinkies together during lunch, his soul had just about ascended to the astral plane and attained nirvana. 

_Yeah, this will take getting used to,_ he thought, waving back at her before Daichi nudged him with his elbow, promptly bringing Koushi back to the realm of mortals with his stupid, smug grin and the wonderfully unpleasant aroma of sweat. 

As much as he wanted to head over and talk to her, Koushi also understood that his focus was of utmost importance right now when they were so close to Nationals. So he turned away from watching her head over to greet their managers (and introduce herself to Coach Ukai who promptly turned to shoot Koushi an impressed look which the young setter wisely ignored) and exhaled to steady himself before turning his full attention to practice. 

Narita raised an eyebrow in silent query, asking if it was okay to continue and Koushi nodded sheepishly at him, getting ready to set to his junior. Silently, he was thankful that this wasn't Tanaka or--god forbid-- Tsukishima, both of whom would probably pass some comment that would make Koushi want to spike the volleyball into their heads even if that wasn't his usual job. Instead, polite Narita overlooked his senpai's brief moment of fumbling in the face of his significant other and wordlessly returned to focus on the task at hand. 

Internally, Koushi blessed the boy and sighed in relief when the set turned out to be just as he'd envisioned before (Y/n) entered and all thoughts that weren't related to her instantly fled his mind. 

He was absolutely whipped. He didn't need Daichi's knowing grin to tell him that. 

Huffing, Koushi resolved to replacing the captain's water with vinegar next chance he got to extract his revenge before swiftly getting rid of the thought because Daichi was very well capable of dishing out twenty laps in penalty if Koushi pushed him far enough. A hard punch in the solar plexus would have to do then.

"You're thinking something scary, aren't you?" Asahi asked warily, approaching Koushi with a volleyball in his hands. 

Blinking and quickly assembling his features into a pleasant smile, Koushi asked, "What makes you think that?" 

Asahi watched him for a moment, and then shivered. "You're scary, Suga." 

With a sigh, Koushi held his hand out for the volleyball and gestured for Asahi to get into position to spike it given that Narita had gone off to talk to the coach. 

"I just feel a little bit off kilter right now," he admitted. "I'll be fine though." 

Asahi backed away to give himself space for a running start. "Because of (L/n)-san?" 

Watching the ace slam the ball into the ground on the other side of the net, Koushi smiled in satisfaction and pride before nodding at Asahi in response to what he'd asked. 

"She makes me nervous," he admitted, praying his cheeks weren't as red as they felt. 

Asahi tilted his head, smiling at the other boy. "That's normal in new relationships, right? I'm sure you'll settle in soon enough." 

For whatever reason, it did make Koushi feel less hyper-aware of her watching the practice, and he grinned widely at Asahi, punching his arm. "Look at you giving me advice about nervousness!" 

"Asahi-san has really grown up!" Noya complimented in passing, catching only the last bit of the conversation and deeming it enough to give the ace a slap on the back. 

Brightening at the praise from their libero, Asahi straightened. "Thanks!"

Noya turned his attention to Koushi. "Suga-san, you have to promise to take care of our wonderful (Y/n)-san, okay? You have my blessings for your journey as a couple!"

"Don't make it sound like we're getting married, Nishinoya," Koushi admonished, waving his hands as he tended to do when he got flustered. Dropping them with a sigh, he scratched his cheek. "And, uh, I promise to do my best to make (Y/n) happy." 

"Oi, you lot!" Coach Ukai cut in (un)smoothly. "Quit dwaddling about and get back to work!"

Koushi winced and nodded at the man hurriedly, catching (Y/n)'s eye and offering her a sheepish smile when she pursed her lips to hide her laughter. 

As it always was, practice was long and grueling, but something about usually left the team in high spirits. Unless they'd been fighting, cleaning up after practice was never too much of a hassle. 

"Need help with that?" 

Koushi turned to find (Y/n) standing behind him, hands clasped behind her back as she shot him a quick smile before helping him take down the net and roll it up. Absently, he directed a "Thanks" at her, to which she nodded. 

"Seeing all this kind of makes me miss rehearsal," she admitted, slowly nearing him with the end of the net she'd been rolling up. "All my after school activities are pretty much over." She puffed her cheeks out. "I don't have anything to do anymore." 

He chuckled quietly. "Is that why you decided to come watch the practice?" 

Humming in Confirmation, she nodded. "I'm living my youth vicariously through you," she informed plainly. Raising her eyes to meet his, she blinked before her expression changed. "Did you mind? I didn't even think about informing you. I hope you weren't distracted by my being there. Not everyone is comfortable with someone just watching them work on something out of the blue." 

He bit his lip, shaking his head. "It's not that I mind someone watching me," he confessed, cheeks slowly heating up in embarrassment. "I was a little nervous because it was _you._ "

(Y/n)'s cheeks flushed slightly, but she grinned. "That's actually really cute, Suga. But if I _did_ affect your performance, then maybe I shouldn't show up again?" 

Shaking his head, he smiled reassuringly at her, determined to forget how flustered he was just a moment ago. "If anything, you being here pushed me to do better." 

Playfully nudging his shoulder from where they were walking side-by-side to put the net in the equipment room, she grinned teasingly. "Were you hoping to impress me?"

"Nothing wrong with that, right?" He smiled over his shoulder, placing the net in its place. 

(Y/n) smiled back softly, taking his hand in hers when he neared her as though it were second nature. "No, there isn't." 

Pausing for a brief second, Koushi examined their linked fingers, eyes rising to meet (Y/n)'s before his lips curved in a slow smile which she returned. 

The tender moment was promptly shattered by the first year freak duo racing towards them, forcing the third year couple to flatten themselves against opposite ends of the doorway to avoid being bulldozed by the two loud blurs. 

"Dumbass! You cheated!" Kageyama accused, dropping the last stray balls where they were supposed to go. 

Hinata pulled a face, arguing, "Did not! You're just slow, Bakageyama-kun." 

Eye twitching, Kageyama advanced quickly, hand clasped on Hinata's skull and squeezing while the shorter boy whined and (Y/n) looked on with the kind of fascination one would expect while observing a newly discovered species of animals.

Koushi sighed. "Come on. Cut it out, you two." 

"The volleyball club is so entertaining," (Y/n) remarked. "It's like watching an anime." 

Hinata looked at her, having just managed to escape Kageyama's clutches. "Will you visit us often, (Y/n)-san, now that you and Suga-senpai are together?"

While she blinked, Koushi glanced at her to CATV her reaction, pleased to find her shyly fiddling with her earlobe. He wasn't the only one feeling the inexperience then. 

She glanced at the gray-haired setter out of the corner of her eye. "I think I will, Shouyou," she confirmed, turning to her younger friend. "Unless you mind it, of course. I wouldn't want to get in anyone's way."

"Being watched doesn't affect our performance," Kageyama assured, blushing slightly when the older girl turned to him with her eyes slightly wide because that was probably the first time he'd spoken directly to her. The dark-haired first year immediately avoided her stare, turning away to hide his face while his shorter partner snickered at his expense and Koushi watched in amusement. 

Snapping out of it (because wow, what an experience), (Y/n) grinned at the duo. "Then you'll probably be seeing me around more often." 

As though he were summoned by the presence of the pretty older girl, Tanaka poked his head in, obviously having been eavesdropping. "Then does this mean you'll cheer us on?"

"Absolutely!" 

Tanaka looked starstruck and Hinata started bouncing in his spot, chattering excitedly about all the cool moves he wanted to show her (ignoring Kageyama's comment about how he'd have to learn anything before being able to actually show it). Koushi hung back and watched, feeling warmth swell in his chest that made him wonder if it was from practice or something else entirely. 

Seeing (Y/n) fit so seamlessly into his world made him feel like she should've been there all along, and he was once again struck by how much he _liked_ her. How badly he wanted to make her smile and happy. 

As ridiculous at may sound, he found himself wanting to give the world to (Y/n).

She turned to him now, tossing him a wide grin of amusement since everyone else was distracted, and he extended his arm out almost cautiously, like he was testing the waters. But she didn't hesitate when she placed her hand in his and closed the distance between them. 

"Shall I walk you home?" Koushi asked, leading her towards the doors, bravely ignoring any embarrassment that might rear its head at their openly linked hands and proximity. 

(Y/n) shook her head. "You must be tired, Suga. Don't push yourself." 

He smiled at her. "I'm not. I kind of wanted to spend a little more time with you." The honesty was a little nerve-wracking, but Koushi knew he wasn't alone in feeling it. They were both new to the uncharted territory they'd crossed over to, but that was okay. They didn't need to have everything figured out right off the bat. 

Although he did wish his heart rate would attain some semblance to normality. 

"Oh." The corners of her mouth turned upwards. "Well, okay, then. My mom might force you to stay for dinner if she's home though. I'm warning you in advance, in case you don't feel ready to meet her just yet." 

Squeezing her hand, he shook his head. "I think I'll be fine." 

They waved goodbye to the rest of the team and set off on the familiar path they'd taken together more than once in the past. Except, this time, the careful distance between was no longer there. 

Koushi hadn't realized how much that put him at ease. 

"You know," (Y/n) began, "I don't think I've ever asked you what you want to do after school. Have you got any plan, or...?" 

He nodded. "I do want to get into college. Maybe go into the education field." He glanced at her, waiting for her reaction. Recently, it seemed every adult only had this one thing to ask of him, and it had begun making him reluctant to talk about his ambitions beyond high school. 

(Y/n) hummed. "That's cool," she remarked with an easy smile. "Have you decided on a college yet?"

"Yeah," he answered instantly, relaxing. "University of Tokyo is looking pretty good right now. Their campus facilities are amazing. And their faculty members are pretty reputed. Applying is a little intimidating, actually." 

"I'm sure you'll be fine, Suga." She squeezed his hand and he squeezed back in gratitude. "Life is all about looking what intimidates you in the eye and charging ahead even if it scares you. Or so my dad says. What's life without a little risk and all that." 

He made a noise of acknowledgment. "It just sounds so much easier in theory." Koushi sighed. "I wish it was as easy as that." 

Shrugging, she nodded. "There's that," she conceded before shooting him a smile. "But you know, no one's saying you can't be afraid. We aren't some super-humans after all. What's important is how brave you're willing to be in spite of that." 

He was quiet for a moment, thinking it over. "I guess you're right," Koushi admitted. "When did you become so wise? We're the same age, aren't we?"

Tossing her hair over her shoulder, she batted her eyelashes exaggeratedly. "I've always been this wise, Suga." 

Koushi laughed, and she joined in, their mirth ringing in the silence of the streets as they traversed down familiar paths, hand-in-hand, dreaming about the days to come.


	16. Chapter 16

Koushi had not been expecting to spend Christmas morning with (Y/n) up in his bedroom, the both of them huddled under his duvet, but he decided he didn't really mind at all. 

Sure, it had been humiliating to have his mom openly insist on his leaving the bedroom door open, but (Y/n) had immediately started to laugh and let him live it down in peace when they got up to his room, empathetically patting his head while he tried to bury himself in his duvet. 

Christmas wasn't really that big of a deal since technically his family was Buddhist, but it was a nice holiday nonetheless that his mother liked the idea of, so the Sugawara family had nice meals and gave each other presents on the day. His mother suggested that he invite (Y/n) over for the day, and he complied once he was assured that his girlfriend didn't have plans with her own family. 

Apparently, even though they celebrated the holiday, this year they would only be able to do dinner together since her mother had to be at work, and because her father would be visiting in two days, so they'd be having a proper celebration then with his family too.

"I'm glad I got you a present beforehand," she said, shifting to avoid her arms going numb where they were holding her up since both of them were laying on their bellies beside each other. "I would've literally refused to show up if I didn't have one." 

He blinked, looking away from the movie playing on his laptop to stare at incredulously. "Why?" 

(Y/n) pouted at him (probably without realizing that she was doing it and that it made him want to squish her cheeks because his girlfriend was adorable). "It's the Christmas spirit, Koushi."

His expression shifted to one of amusement. "I mean, I'm Buddhist, so it's not that big of a deal. You'd be fine either way." 

"Religion isn't the point here," she argued, shaking her head. "I wouldn't feel right about not having something to give you on Christmas. And I really was expecting to only see you after, so there was a very good chance that I procrastinate getting your gift. For once, I actually swallowed my laziness and thank god I did." 

He chuckled, and she bumped his shoulder, but she was grinning too. "I don't supposed you're gonna tell me what it is?" 

"Not until an hour before I have to leave for dinner," she sang and he rolled his eyes. "It's not like you're telling me what my present is. Plus, you only have to wait like another fifteen minutes."

"Fair point," he conceded. "So you'll be having dinner at home?" 

She shook her head, shooting him a sly smile. "Hinansho closes early on Christmas so the staff can all spend it together there. It's a whole party, and everyone brings side dishes and desserts and stuff, but the main attraction is always something my mom makes. It's a lot of fun."

His eyes wide, he asked, "Is Christmas that big in your family?" 

"Not so much that as it is the fact that it's a staff party for Christmas _and_ New Year because they don't get an off for that. Besides, Hinansho's staff has a fairly young average age, and they're looking for every excuse they can find to party and potentially get drunk." (Y/n) shrugged after snorting under her breath, presumably remembering previous parties. "They'll probably break open the expensive rosé. Maybe champagne. Who knows?" 

"Adults are weird," he remarked. Koushi had never personally understood the appeal of alcohol, although he'd never tried so he couldn't yet speak. 

She nodded in agreement, pausing to laugh at something in the movie. "Hinansho seems to be filled with some of the weirdest adults at that," she remarked. "They act like they're living in a cooking anime." 

Koushi snorted. "By that logic, the team acts like it's a volleyball anime." 

"Oh, for sure. Shouyou'd be the protagonist since he seems to have the most pressing conflict, Kageyama-kun would be the tsundere love interest, Daichi the reliable and manly captain, and you'd be the sweet, angelic Suga-senpai who guides and motivates and- "

He quickly cut her off, hand covering her mouth to give himself some time to fight off the embarrassment taking a physical form in the heat rushing to his face. (Y/n) was shaking with laughter in his hold, all his garbled protest going entirely unheard in her fit. Her face was turning red too, but for a different reason. 

"Come on, (Y/n)," he whined. 

Pulling his hand off her face, she continued, "And you'd sweep the girls right off their feet, I bet. There'd be fanfictions going around about you." 

"No, there wouldn't," he rolled his eyes. "What am I? Oikawa Tooru?" 

Snorting, she shook her head. "No, and thank the gods for that. But give yourself some credit. You'd totally make some girls go all doki-doki." 

"You tell me, then," he challenged. "Did I sweep you off your feet?" 

She rolled over to lie on her back, looking up at him in consideration. "It's more like you made me trip and fall rather sweep me off my feet," she answered, and he rolled his eyes again, lightly flicking her forehead and returning his attention to the movie even though he could no longer comprehend its plot, having missed so many chunks of it. 

"Don't get pouty," she cooed, lightly pinching his cheek and giggling when he stuck his tongue out at her. "I think that realizing I like you was more meaningful than the whole 'I fell for you at first sight' trope. Besides, it's cuter this way." 

He glanced at her, catching the warm smile she was directing at him and smiling back, taking her hand in his. "Have I told you that I liked you back in first year too?" 

That made her turn on her side to face him better. "Really?"

Nodding, he hummed. "Yeah. I saw you playing with some kids at the park, all dressed up as Captain Hook and I thought you were really cool. And then, I guess, I just started noticing you around a lot more until I realized that I had a crush on you." 

There was a bright smile on her face, and a pink tint to her cheeks. "Okay, so the love at first sight trope is pretty cute too. I admit it." 

Koushi laughed, grabbing a pillow and smacking her with it. "Shut up." 

"Hey!" she protested, chucking it right back in his face. "That is no way to treat your girlfriend," she added, sitting up and crossing her arms. 

He chuckled, pushing himself up to sit straight as well. "You're right. I'm sorry. Shall I make it up to you?" 

Eyebrow rising, she questioned, "And how do you plan on doing that?" 

Smiling slyly, he leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers, smiling when she immediately brought her hands up to rest against the nape of his neck. 

It had been a little over two months of doing this, and Koushi could finally say he was getting used to having a girlfriend. Even the occasional round of teasing from his team had stopped getting him as flustered as it used to. 

(Y/n) made it easy to be with her. 

"Kids, come on down!"

His mother's voice very nearly gave him a heart attack as the both of them sprung apart, hands clutching at their chests at the fright. They exchanged glances, laughing at the ordeal as best as they could when it felt like their hearts were sitting in their mouths. 

"That was surprising," (Y/n) commented, clearing her throat. "We should probably go."

"Yeah," he agreed, slipping out of the warmth of his comforter once he'd shut down the laptop and holding a hand out for his girlfriend. "I thought she came up here for a scary second there." 

"Oh, god," (Y/n) said horrified. "That'd be mortifying." 

He nodded. "My mom is really happy about us being together and all, but it means that she keeps bringing up...safety and stuff." 

Even as her cheeks colored, (Y/n) laughed. "I bet that's a fun discussion at dinner." 

"You have no idea," he muttered, a shiver going down his spine that made her snort at his expense. "Don't laugh," he added, frowning exaggeratedly and making her pinch his cheek. 

"How adorable," Koushi's mother cooed, waiting for them at the bottom of the stairs. "I was about to come get you myself because you were taking so long. Let's go open our presents!" 

(Y/n) leaned closer to him, whispering, "We are so lucky she didn't come up." 

Following his mother into the living room, he nodded slowly. They'd lucked out. 

The ordeal involving presents largely consisted of (Y/n) profusely thanking his parents for getting her gifts too and the Sugawara family assuring her repeatedly that it was no big deal and that they were happy to include her for the evening. 

To be fair, (Y/n) had bought them gifts too, so they were even, but Koushi figured she probably had an argument about making a good impression as his girlfriend ready to fire in case he brought it up. 

Instead, he watched in amusement as his dad loudly remarked that he'd recently come in need of a new tie and coffee mug even though Koushi knew he had plenty already. (Y/n) blushed, accepting his gratitide in the manner awkward teens do, getting further overwhelmed when Koushi's mom joined in to exclaim over how lovely her new watch was.

"Okay, my turn," Koushi called out, approaching (Y/n) with his neatly wrapped parcel and handing it to her with an excited smile. 

She shot him a questioning look but accepted the present and sat down to unwrap it, her mouth forming a delighted smile once she's done. "I love it," she said, immediate honesty punctuating her words. "Thank you, Koushi." 

He smiled back, feeling warm and proud for having gotten her something he knew she'd enjoy. (Y/n) had, on multiple separate occasions, proved her knowledge and interest in mythology and legends of heroes and such. He knew she'd enjoy a book about the same, especially one with accompanying fading illustrations and gold lettering in the cover. 

It was all in English, and it was second-hand to boot, but he knew it didn't matter. 

"No problem," he returned. "I'm just really glad you like it." 

Both of them ignored Koushi's mother whispered "How sweet" in favor of smiling tenderly at each other. 

When they had both returned to his room so she could gather her belongings before she left, (Y/n) hugged him tightly, arms winding around his shoulders so she could pull herself as close to him as possible. 

"Seriously, thank you, Koushi," she said, and he chuckled, rubbing her back. "Your present totally topped mine." 

At this, he shook his head. "No way. I love my gift and I take offense on its behalf." He smiled when she laughed, humming at the short kiss she gave him. 

"I'll bring you a slice of my mom's opera cake later," she promised, and he sighed. 

"You really don't have to, but you know I don't have the self control to refuse if you do it anyways." 

She grinned. "Brilliant." 

Pulling away from him to grab her bag and new book (which didn't fit in her purse), she paused to examine the cover and he watched, a smile in place. 

"You really like it, huh?" Koushi voiced, and she looked up to nod at him. 

"Of course," she said, the both of them sitting down on the edge of his bed. "I've always loved these stories since I was little. At some point, I wanted to leave reality and live an epic of my own. Or, at least, get married to a really buff demigod." 

He chukled, shifting so their arms were pressed against one another's to get a better look at the pages she was flipping through. "And what about now?" 

(Y/n) paused and, after a beat, shook her head. "Not anymore. Demigods are usually assholes to their wives, or they end up dead, or the wife ends up dead." 

"So one or both them typically die," he summed up. "Good choice on moving on from that phase." 

She laughed, nodding in agreement. And when the laughter died down, she kissed him again, soft and slow and exactly the kind that made it feel like his universe just stopped for a moment. 

"I much prefer something just like this, Koushi." 


End file.
